After Forever Part 1: Not the way we planned it
by Daughterofflame
Summary: Major Characters: Jaina Solo, Jacen Solo, Tahiri Veila, Kyp Durron, Tenel Ka Chume Djo, Mara Jade Skywalker, Luke Skywalker, et al. Some OC's . The Yuuzhan Vong have been defeated, but a greater challenge arises in defeating the enemy that will destro
1. Chapter One: The Beginning

…Sure you can do this?"

"Yes." Jacen Solo nodded, steepling his hands on the desk in front of him, eerily reminiscent of his uncle.

'Wonderful. You may tell Master Skywalker we are very eager for him to begin training Esivan, and we will see you in a week."

Jacen nodded with a smile. "We will look forward to it."

The comm silenced and Jacen sighed. Between the comm going off and the students playing outside the door, he wasn't likely to get any more work done.

He set the datapad in his hand on the desk with another sigh and pressed the call button on the desk comm.

He waited as it connected, stacking papers on the corner of the desk so he would have room to work tomorrow.

"He'o?"

Jacen looked up with a smile. "Hi, Ben, how are you?"

The three-year-old grinned happily. "I fine, Jacen."

"Where are your mom and dad?" Jacen had a hard time believing the Skywalkers had willingly allowed the little boy to answer the comm on his own.

Ben held up a finger. "Shhh."

Jacen suddenly caught on. "Oh, is Mommy asleep?"

Ben nodded solemnly. "Umm-hmm."

"Ok. Shh." He repeated the gesture. "Is your dad home?"

Ben nodded again, vigorously this time.

"Can I talk to him?"

Ben suddenly looked as if Jacen had put him in a terrible predicament.

Jacen saw the problem. "Don't worry, I won't tell him that you were talking to me." He assured the younger boy.

Ben nodded once with a smile and disappeared.

Jacen tapped the desk thoughtfully as he waited.

"Hello?" Luke Skywalker appeared. "Oh, hi, Jacen."

"HI, Uncle Luke. I just talked to the Leukin family."

His uncle shifted, crossing his arms. "What did you find out?"

Jacen twirled a stylus in his hands absently. "They're eager for their son to come to the Academy; they think he's very gifted."

"Wonderful." Luke broke in, rolling his eyes "Just what we need. Another student whose parents think he can be the next savior of the galaxy if we just pay him enough attention."

Jacen grinned. "My parents were like that once, if I recall correctly."

Luke laughed. 'Maybe. But not to the extreme that some of our parents carry it to."

"True. I think, though, that the Leukins are just proud parents."

"Well, let's hope so." Luke muttered.

"They did, however, ask that their son _not_ be placed in a crèche family." Jacen set the stylus down on the desk and leaned back in his chair.

Luke blinked. "And he's what, three?"

"Four." Jacen grimaced. "I tried reasoning with her, but she was adamant."

"Here we go." Luke sighed. "I knew there was a catch."

"You know, Skywalker, you're starting to sound like me." Mara appeared behind her husband.

Jacen grinned. "I was about to point out the same thing."

"It shouldn't surprise you that after all the years we've been married, I've picked up on some of your cynicism."

"Realism." Mara corrected automatically.

Luke rolled his eyes with a smile. "Whatever you say."

Jacen had missed the entire exchange, staring thoughtfully out the viewport beside his desk.

Luke and Mara finally noticed.

"Jacen?" Luke frowned.

"I think I need to go." Jacen said slowly.

"All right." Luke had learned long ago that it was better to just not ask. "We'll talk to you later, then."

Jacen pressed the disconnect control on the comm, his forehead creasing slightly.

He checked his pager, but it was silent. He tapped his chin lightly. The ripples in the Force felt odd. Not like danger or darkness, only strange.

After another moment of deliberation, he stood, shutting the computer terminal off and keying the lights down.

He shut the office door and looked around.

The ripples were getting stronger now, and they were leading him down the hallway.

* * *

. 

Yavin 4.

There was no other place in the galaxy that had stronger grasp on life.

It was the one place in all the known regions of the universe that held the teeming life equal to five worlds on the surface of one small moon.

The only place in the galaxy that could be resilient enough to survive every war the galaxy had faced, and still be unchanging.

And it was the only place she had ever called home.

The tall Massassi trees stretched to the sky in a familiar greeting as she guided her ship toward the Great Temple.

The single river that split the moon's surface sparkled, bringing a smile to her face, remembering a few escapades of the younger academy students involving that river.

Even some of the older students had made the river their center of mischief.

The Great Temple was visible on the horizon now, growing larger every second.

Her eyes burned strangely as she stared at the stone structure. She had so many memories here…

All of it had nearly been destroyed.

She closed her eyes momentarily, breathing words of thanks for the chance to return.

There were still craters in the jungle where the plasma from the Yuuzhan Vong warships had fallen, raining down terror and death. Still times when the wind would carry wails and weeping from long ago. When it rained, the smell of blood hung in the air for hours.

The Great Temple had been rebuilt, nearly from the ground up.

When they'd first returned two years ago, there had bee almost nothing left. They'd had to stay in the temple of Blue Leaf Cluster while they put the pieces back together.

Like they had put their broken lives back together.

She was glad they had rebuilt it as it had been. There was something oddly comforting in seeing something that at least looked like what you had known.

Even if it all ended up being nothing like what it had been, she still had her memories.

She looked up at the mountain range looming behind the temple, and was thrown back into her memories.

She switched to low sublight as she eased her ship into the docking bay and cut the sublights to just repulsorlifts.

The ship settled on the stone deck gently, and she reached over to cut the engine.

She checked the log to make sure nothing had come loose on the flight, and then shut everything down.

She wasn't leaving this time.

She turned around and left the cockpit, picking her lightsaber up off the galley area table as she walked by and clipping it to her belt.

She keyed the lights and life support to power-down before pressing the hatch controls.

She walked down the short ramp to the bay deck, nodding to the maintenance droid that whistled a greeting.

She smiled warmly when she saw the figure leaning against a stone pillar on the other side of the bay, waiting for her.

"Jacen." Her smile grew.

He grinned back. "I thought it was you."

She nodded, her eyes sparkling happily. "I am home."


	2. Chapter Two

Luke looked up when Mara entered the room.

He frowned. "I thought I told you to go back to bed."

Mara shot him a look. "In case you've forgotten, nobody _tells_ me to do anything. And for the record, I'm not tired."

Luke snorted, but chose not to say anything.

Mara headed for the kitchen.

"Ah, so the lack of exhaustion is only relative to your hunger." Luke surmised.

Mara sent a dark glare.

Luke said nothing more as he went back to the datapad in his hand, frowning in concentration.

"Do we have any d'yjala cakes?" Mara asked from behind the refrigeration unit door.

"If we do, they're not in there." Luke replied absently.

"I know. I'm looking for something to go on them." She closed the fridge door, leftover bajiin steak and a bag of cheese in her hand.

"Hold on just a minute there," Luke protested, "that steak is mine."

Mara looked sly as she disappeared into the pantry. "Not anymore." She called over her shoulder.

Luke smiled behind his hand, and then looked back at the datapad.

"What are you working on?" Mara came out of the pantry, a bag of d'yjala cakes in her hand.

"This transmission I just got from the Leukin family." He said absently, fingering the scar on his chin.

Mara came to sit beside him. "Are they still refusing to let you put their son with the other crèche kids?"

Luke nodded slowly. "They seem to think he'll learn faster without the distractions of the other children."

Mara set the mug in her hand clown on the table hard.

"I know." Luke folded the top on the datapad down. "I can't exactly order them to allow him to be with the other young children." He frowned. "And I'm not sure that's even it."

"If it were me, that's exactly what I would do. And what do you mean, that's not it?" Mara took a sip of her caffeine with an incredulous look.

"How would you feel if Ben came home talking about his 'new family'?"

Mara thought about that for a moment. "Threatened."

Luke hid a smile. "You mean you'd track them down and erase their memory."

Mara stood with a half-grin, putting the last bite of her cakes in her mouth. She shrugged, walking over to the comm terminal. "Maybe." She turned the terminal on. "What was with Jacen earlier?"

Luke frowned. "I don't know. Maybe one of the kids that seem to camp outside his door was crying."

"It was odd." Mara looked thoughtful. "I didn't sense anything."

"So it wasn't Jaina?" Luke took her dirty plate to the kitchen sink.

"No." Mara shook her head, reading the text message.

"Then I have no idea. Maybe one of..." he trailed off when he saw Mara had stilled.

"What?" he asked quickly, alarm rising at the look on her face.

"A note from Bilbringi NRI branch." Her voice was nearly inaudible. She finally looked at Luke. "They found the Outlander station. No survivors."

Luke's mind stopped.

Mara wasn't finished.

"And it wasn't an accident."

* * *

.

The halls in the Great Temple were filled with noise as the students milled about, talking and laughing. The older ones walked to their quarters or stood in groups along the walls that made walking through the corridors like weaving through a maze.

"So, how long are you staying?"

They walked side by side down the crowded halls away from the bay.

Tenel Ka looked ahead as they walked. "I gave my crown regent _ylinai telempora _when I left."

They stopped for a group of children playing in the middle of the hall. One of the young girls smiled and waved, and Jacen smiled back.

"Forgive the mere civilian's ignorance," Jacen quipped, "but I have no idea what that means."

"I will stay as long as the Consortium does not require me." Tenel Ka rephrased.

"Ah." Jacen nodded. "Aha."

Tenel Ka looked at him. "When did you make a habit of mocking me?"

Jacen stifled a laugh. "I wasn't mocking you, Tenel Ka. I swear."

If it were not for the fact that it was Tenel Ka, he could have sworn he saw her hide a smile of her own.

"I know this." She replied, nodding once.

Jacen grinned. "Good. Now, let's go find your quarters."

He watched her out the corner of his eyes as they walked. He saw her scan her surroundings, taking it all in.

"It's different, isn't it?" He voiced what she was thinking.

"This is a fact." Her voice was quiet.

Jacen chuckled. "How did I know you'd say that?"

Tenel Ka looked up, an expression similar to amusement on her face. "I do not know. How?"

Jacen shrugged easily as they turned the corner. "I guess it's just cause I know _you_." He smiled.

Tenel Ka seemed to think this over. "It could be that." She agreed.

"It could also be that you're a one-liner." Jacen amended, hiding a grin.

Tenel Ka almost stopped where she was to mull this over. She eyed Jacen carefully. "This is a joke." She clarified.

Jacen grinned. "What else?"

To Jacen's credit, she almost smiled. "This is true."

They walked in silence for a moment.

Tenel Ka suddenly stopped, taking in her surroundings with an alertness. "Jacen." She looked at him, her eyes flitting around. "Where are we going?"

He didn't need to answer. She knew where they were headed.

Jacen stopped in the hall in front of a door.

"Your quarters, your Highness. I apologize for their humbleness." He made a deep, sweeping bow.

Tenel Ka gave him a brief glance that was vaguely annoyed before pressing her thumb to the bioscanner on the door.

She blinked as the door swished open, hesitating before stepping inside.

Jacen watched her turn around slowly, her mind working through memories to check the images she saw now against the way it had once been. He wondered when her gaze crossed him, if she even saw him.

"Thank you." She said finally. "I do not know how you have done it, but thank you."

Jacen just smiled before quietly slipping down the hall.


	3. Chapter Three

Yavin 4 was usually a place of peace. A place where one could lose himself in the endless near-silence. A place that gravitated more toward meditation than even Master Yoda's solitary hut.

But, then, dining halls are an exception to nearly every rule.

Tenel Ka surveyed the dining hall calmly, watching as two younger students chased each other between the tables.

One of the young boys turned his head to taunt the other, laughing as the other boy stopped to catch his breath.

The first boy kept running.

Straight into Master Skywalker.

Tenel Ka watched with covert interest as the boy's eyes widened.

Master Skywalker only smiled and asked him a question.

The boy nodded sheepishly, squirming a little.

Master Skywalker cocked his head and smiled in reproach. It took only a moment before the boy began to smile, too.

Master Skywalker said something and nodded toward the other boy, who had been standing quite still, watching the conversation carefully.

The boy nodded and ran back to his friend.

Master Skywalker smiled as they walked off arm in arm.

His face changed then, and he turned scanning the room as if he was searching for something.

When he saw Tenel Ka, he stopped, his eyebrows shooting up in surprise.

"Tenel Ka." He walked toward her, smiling. "I didn't know you were here."

Tenel Ka nodded respectfully. "Master. I returned for a short visit."

Luke nodded in understanding. "I'm sure it must be hard to get away from Hapes."

"It is difficult." Tenel Ka agreed.

"Why don't you come and sit with Mara and me?" Luke gestured at the table behind him where his wife sat, trying to get Ben to eat with his spoon instead of his fingers.

"I will do this." She nodded again, following Luke to the table.

Mara looked when they approached. "Luke, did you- oh, hi, Tenel Ka." She smiled welcomingly.

"Master Skywalker." She tipped her head.

Mara made a face. "That's his name." She jerked her thumb at her husband. "Last time I checked, I was just Mara."

Tenel Ka nodded her assent. "This is so. I forget sometimes."

Luke sat down. "Hi, Ben."

The three-year-old's face lit up. "Hi, Daddy."

Luke took one glance at the jumbled mass of breakfast foods and knew what was going on.

"Have you been giving Mommy trouble?" he asked sternly.

Ben grinned impishly, shaking his head in a way that said that was exactly what he had been doing.

Luke looked at Mara with one eyebrow raised.

"He's your kid, Skywalker; what do you think?" Mara asked dryly.

Luke just shook his head with a smile. He pointedly ignored Mara's rolling eyes and turned to Ben.

"Ben, use your spoon." He demonstrated carefully.

Ben watched his father for a few moments, obviously skeptical about the entire matter.

"There you go. See, it's – Ow!" his head jerked up with a scowl. "What was that for?" he demanded, rubbing his shin.

Mara caught his gaze and nodded toward their guest.

Tenel Ka was staring across the room, her eyes following something.

Luke looked back at Mara, puzzled.

"T'iri!" Ben suddenly exclaimed, throwing his hands up in the air.

Luke turned his head slightly and saw Tahiri Veila walking toward them, smiling brightly and waving to Ben.

Jacen followed close behind, bearing a heavy-laden tray and a rueful smile.

"Hey, Ben." Tahiri sat down beside the little boy, listening wide-eyed to his excited chattering.

Luke watched them a moment before turning his gaze to his nephew.

"Good morning, Jacen." He smiled knowingly at the expression the younger man was wearing.

Jacen plunked the tray down on the table and sighed heavily. He looked up his uncle. "Remind me never to get in line behind her again." He rubbed his arms like he was sore. "I mean, really, Jaina was bad, but this-" he swept his arm out, gesturing at the plates and bowls crammed onto the large tray. "This is insanity. Do you wanna know how much of this is mine?" he demanded, the exasperation peaking on his face. "This." He held up one small bowl. "Just this!" he sat down heavily, shaking his head at the mass of dishes still on the tray.

Luke's shoulders shook with silent laughter as his nephew sullenly dug into his one, minute bowl of cereal.

Jacen glared. "It is hardly funny."

Luke tried desperately to stop laughing. "I'm sorry, Jacen, but it is."

"Yeah, well, you weren't the one carrying forty standard pounds on one dinky tray." Jacen grumbled in reply.

Peals of laughter from the other end of the table turned both men's heads.

Mara and Tahiri were laughing about something, and even Tenel Ka had a smile tugging at her lips

As if on cue, all three women turned their heads to look at them and started laughing again.

"Why is it a part of me thinks this is not good?" Jacen mused, watching the women with a half-worried expression.

"Because it isn't." Luke answered in kind.

Jacen finished his cereal, eyeing the bowl of fruit still on the tray as he set his dish down.

"I need to talk to you later." Luke was suddenly solemn.

Jacen's head came up, mild alarm written across his face. "What?" he asked quickly.

Luke shook his head slightly, almost imperceptivity to someone who wasn't watching. "Later.

Jacen nodded and went back to the fruit.

From the end of the table, one of the women watched the exchange silently.

* * *

.

"No! I told you once already! You can't wipe his memory!" he glanced from the maintenance droid to the astromech. "Yet."

The astromech jerked backwards on his wheels with an indignant blat.

"That's right." He turned towards the squat little silver droid, putting his hands on his hips. "You'd better behave, or I'll let him have you."

The little astromech tweedled sadly.

"No, I don‚t like you." He said shortly. "You irritated me to absolute insanity. If you weren't a gift, I would have erased your kriffin' annoying personality the first day I had you. It's my pure generosity that has kept me from-" 

"Kyp!"

Kyp turned away from Zero-One to see Jaina hurrying toward him.

"Yes, oh Great One?" he made a saucy half-bow.

Jaina chose to ignore it. "So, now you're taking to droids for company."

Kyp sniffed. "I find droids more enjoyable than some human company." Jaina's irritation rose, but she didn't let it show. "Yes, well," she patted Zero-One's metal dome and waved at him in dismissal, "you're going to have to endure this dull human's companionship for a few moments."

Something about the way she said it made Kyp groan inwardly. She only took that tone when she'd come either to gloat, or to hand out orders.

"Forgive me, Great One," he feigned an apologetic smile, " but being a mere mortal, I have only a short life, and therefore a small amount of time to give you, so please be quick." He wiped his greasy hands on an equally greasy rag. "If you'll step this way into my humble, non-existent office." He swept his hand mockingly toward the empty space beside his x-wing, walking in that general direction, half-hoping she wouldn't follow.

"Now," he turned and saw, little to his surprise, that she had, "what can I do for the great Yun-Harla?"

"You can knock it off, first of all." Jaina said irritable.

"Oh, that's right." Kyp slapped his forehead. "The war's over, so you're back to plain old Jaina Solo."

"Oh, honestly, Durron." Jaina growled, rubbing her creased forehead as if in pain.

"Well, you know what they say," Kyp quipped, "you can take the Goddess from the state of deity, but you can't take the deity out of the Goddess."

"Kyp!" Jaina screeched, covering her ears.

"Oh, I'm sorry, am I bothering you?" he effected a persona of innocence.

Jaina glared at him as she rubbed her ears, mumbling something about being owed big time.

"In all my life, Kyp Durron, I have never met anyone else with your uncanny ability to drive away my sanity." She muttered darkly.

Kyp bowed deeply. "At your service." He grinned.

Jaina fought it hard, but found herself smiling anyway.

A loud electronic squeal from the other side of the bay made the two turn.

"You brought Cappie with you?" Kyp asked in disbelief.

"Yeah, and it would appear our droids have a mutual, respective feeling toward each other, like we do." She smirked.

"Fine." Kyp shook his head. "As long as you're gonna be the one to disentangle and repair both parties when this is over."

Jaina grinned as she looked back at him. "What, now you're afraid of a couple of droids?" she snickered.

Kyp narrowed his eyes. "Not hardly." He looked back at the arguing astromechs. "But when this comes to blows, they're going to be making full use of their welding arms, and personally, I'd prefer _not_ to be the one melted to the deck floor."

"Right." Jaina winced. "Cappie, leave Zero-One alone."

"Lest we digress any further," Kyp resisted the urge to throw her earlier comment back at her. "What was it you wanted anyway?"

"Oh." Jaina jerked, scrambling to remember why she had come. She hesitated, not sure she wanted to be anywhere near him when she told him. "I got a message from Master Skywalker."

_Not Uncle Luke._ Kyp noted.

Jaina frowned thoughtfully. "He wants us to come home."

"He _what_?" Kyp echoed, his eyebrows shooting up.

Jaina nodded. "Yeah." Her frown deepened. "And somehow, I doubt this is just a happy family reunion."

"No kidding." Kyp tossed the wrench in his hand at the toolbox and winced when it missed the mark badly. "Especially if it involves me."

"He stopped just short of a Force command." Jaina grimaced.

"Great." Kyp was sarcastic. "When do we leave?"

"Tomorrow." Jaina sighed.

"Ok." His smile was too bright. "You know, nothing says I can‚t have a good time anyway. I'm going to enjoy this vacation." He made a face. "Even if it's just making this visit as miserable for him as it is for me." He added under his breath.

Jaina silently agreed with him. "Fine, departure is at 0600 tomorrow. By the way, have you seen Colonel Fel?"

Kyp shook his head. "It pleases me to say that I have not." He suddenly became suspicious. "Why?"

Jaina made another face. "He's coming with us."

Kyp groaned loudly. "I _knew_ there was a catch."


	4. Chapter Four

Tenel Ka sighed and brushed a stray wisp of hair out of her face. She paused and looked around, taking in the familiar scents as she breathed.

The sunlight sifted down through the heavy morning mist, setting the entire valley aglow. She could distinguish at least six different shades of green and gold as she stared down the side of the mountain.

'You coming?" She looked away and saw Jacen waiting for her farther up the slope.

She nodded and started up the trail towards him, picking her way over rocks and tree roots.

Jacen waited until she was beside him before turning and continuing up the trail.

"You have been running while I was gone." Tenel Ka stated, following him easily up the rugged slope.

'Not ever day." He admitted. " Some mornings I just haven't had any time." He pushed a large branch out of the way and waited as she passed.

Tenel Ka looked at him in amusement. "Master Skywalker is keeping you busy?"

Jacen's smile became wry. "Master Skywalker has nothing to do with it."

Tenel Ka stared at him incredulously, but said nothing as she watched him turn and jump over a fallen tree.

"You have never said where Jaina is." She finally said, climbing the slope quickly to catch up.

Jacen turned his head in surprise. " She's not here." He frowned apologetically. "I thought you knew."

Tenel Ka shook her head. "Where is she, then?" she scanned the area around her as she walked, trying to figure out where they were going.

"She kept the _Twin Suns_ together after the war," Jacen explained, "and she and Kyp and Colonel Fel have been training new recruits."

"I see." Tenel Ka's voice was quiet.

Jacen reached the flat in the trail and stopped. He turned, smiling. "Come on." He held out his hand. "I want you to see this."

Tenel Ka was surprised at his sudden exuberance. She took his hand and allowed him to pull her up.

"M'nythre!" She breathed in awe as she stood.

They stood on a flat, rocky overhang, looking down into a canyon that was so verdant, it was almost hard to look at.

The fierce attack and destruction from the Yuuzhan Vong had partially redirected the river's course, causing it to flow through this new canyon.

The sound of the river combined with the wind's rushing through the trees filled her ears with familiar dull roar.

Jacen glanced at her and grinned at the look on her face. He had known she would like it.

Maybe some good had come out the war.

Tenel Ka stared out across the valley, a faraway look in her eyes.

Jacen toyed with a twig in his hand, watching her out of the corner of his eye.

"You never told me why you were her." He said slowly, eyeing her carefully for a reaction.

It was barely visible. Tenel Ka sighed and looked at the ground at her feet.

"Hapes is that bad, huh." Jacen surmised, taking a seat on a nearby rock.

Tenel Ka sighed again. "It is." She confirmed quietly.

Jacen let the silence rest for a moment. "Do you want to tell me about it?"

At first, she made no sign that she had heard. Then, she moved to sit near him.

"It is difficult working with people so deceptive." She said finally.

Jacen nodded.

"And after Isan died…" Tenel Ka trailed off.

Jacen remembered the quiet, friendly blonde man that had been Tenel Ka's bodyguard since before Jacen had known her. Besides being her protector, Isan Dsel had been a friend.

"My mother-" Tenel Ka stopped and changed directions mentally. "The N'Korish have become invisible, but they are still there."

Jacen frowned at that. "Hold on. Back up. Who came with you to Yavin?" he demanded, narrowing his eyes. "And your answer had better be a name, not a negative pronoun."

Tenel Ka stood, a bemused frown on her face. "Jacen Solo, what shoktzeriae has possessed you mind to make you act this way?"

Jacen stood, too. "It's called protectiveness, and don't change the subject."

Tenel Ka's eyes glinted impishly.

Jacen wagged his head at her. "Now, your highness, I believe this is a new pastime for you, irritating me. Now, answer the question."

Tenel Ka tipped her chin up. "Ileysa came with me, though it is none of your concern."

"On the contrary," Jacen disagreed softly, "it is very much my concern."

Tenel Ka chose not to respond.

Jacen suddenly cocked his head, looking thoughtful.

"What?" Tenel Ka asked at the grin that split his face.

Jacen turned his bright face toward her. "Come on. There's someone I want you to meet."

* * *

.

"No, Ben." His mother shook her head firmly for what must have been the seventh time that conversation.

Ben pouted. "Why?"

Mara tried to keep the irritation and weariness at bay, but she was fighting a losing battle. "Because," she explained patiently, feeling the sudden urge to slam a few doors and have a long cry. "Mama doesn't have one scrap of energy left, and it takes energy-lots of it- to take you anywhere."

"Oh." Ben's face looked as if he'd been sentenced to a life of solitary confinement. "May I play with my gogoblocks?"

Mara felt hopeless. "Are those the ones that talk?"

Ben nodded in excitement.

Mara felt like the worst ogre in the universe. 'I don't think so, honey."

Ben's face fell. "Oh. Ok."

"Why don't you go get your book chips and-quietly- look at your books?" "OK." Ben tried not to look so unenthusiastic, but his three-year-old face wasn't very good at masking emotions.

Mara sighed heavily and leaned back in her chair. She wished Luke would hurry up and come home. Surely he had to be on his way already.

She glanced at the ornately decorated wallhang chronometer that had been a wedding gift from one of the Academy students all those years ago, and groaned out loud in disbelief. How could it be that only fifteen standard minutes had passed since the last time she had checked? 

Not enough food. Not enough sleep. Not enough Luke. Ben. Tired- no exhausted. Stuck with no way to remedy any of those situations any time soon.

The assassin part of her had no idea whatsoever how to handle it all.

Then again, had Mara Jade the Emperor's Hand, smuggler and assassin, been able to see this far into her own future, she likely would have shot one Luke Skywalker on first contact.

There were still times when she fleetingly half-wondered if maybe that might have been the easier way.

But then, who ever said easier was better?

Mara cracked one eyelid at the sound of the door opening.

Tahiri stood in the doorway, glancing back and forth between Mara, who looked half-dead on the chair, and Ben, who was playing with carpet fibers, his datapad and book chips long forgotten.

"Hey." Mara said sleepily.

"Hi." Tahiri set the datapad in her hand on the kitchenette counter. "I brought the stuff you wanted."

"Thanks, Tahiri." Mara sat up straighter and rubbed her eyes.

Tahiri watched her for a second.

"Hey, Ben." She said finally. "How 'bout we go watch the lightsaber duels?"

The little boy's head popped up, his gaze focusing on Tahiri with an awed excitement. Abruptly, he froze, and turned to look at Mara.

"Will you do what Tahiri says?" Mara asked him.

The little red-blonde head bobbed up and down at a rate that made Mara sick to her stomach.

"Ok, then, you can go." Mara figured she was just as pleased with the idea as her son was.

Tahiri grinned down at the three year old and took his hand.

"Oh, and, Tahiri?" Mara called as the two barefoot blondes headed out the door. "Thanks."

Tahiri just smiled.


	5. CHapter Five: Changes

"So, the only one of us missing is Jaina." Jacen led Tenel Ka around the small lake that marked the north end of the river.

Tenel Ka walked beside him, characteristically quiet. "Everyone except Anakin."

Jacen nodded solemnly. "Except Anakin.

"It is still hard to believe that so many are gone." Tenel Ka watched the ground.

"Yeah." Jacen picked up a stick and began to peel the bark off with unusual concentration.

Tenel Ka eyed him curiously, wondering when he'd picked up nervous habits.

"You know," he began quietly, pocketing the smooth, barkless stick, "if someone had told me this was how it would turn out" he threw a small rock in his hand, skipping it across the lake, " I'm not sure I would've believed it.

"Nor I." Tenel Ka agreed.

"Makes you wonder if maybe we could've stopped it if we had known.

Tenel Ka remained silent for a moment. "I have often wondered this." She replied finally.

"I know one thing," Jacen laughed joylessly, "I never would have let Mom and Dad take us to Lando's little casino/spaceport." He ran one hand through his hair. "Chewie would still be alive, and who knows, if Chewie had been around, maybe Anakin never would've died."

They walked on in silence for a few moments.

"What about you?" Jacen asked finally, shoving his hands into his pockets. "What would you change?

Tenel Ka didn't answer right away. When she did, her voice was barely audible. "There are many things I would have done differently."

Jacen didn't press her further.

The Great Temple was now only half a click away, and they could see figures milling about, many of them robed masters returning from the Temple of Blue Leaf Cluster.

"I did not realize so many classes took place this early." Tenel Ka mused, watching the group of teachers talk amongst themselves as they entered the Great Temple.

"Actually," Jacen shook his head, "they have a master's duel before their classes start."

"Oh." Tenel Ka nodded in understanding.

"Trust me," Jacen laughed, "we couldn't _drag_ most of the students out of bed this early."

Tenel Ka actually smiled at this. "So there are some things that have not changed."

Jacen grinned. "It's funny. That's the very thing Uncle Luke grumbles about: 'some things never change'."

Tenel Ka looked at him. "How is this?"

Jacen shrugged, pulling the temple's outer door open for her. "Oh, you know, when someone skips a class to go swimming."

Tenel Ka appeared incredulous. "We did this?"

Jacen nearly stopped in the hall. "Don't tell me you've forgotten. We used to cut Kam's class at least once a standard week."

Tenel Ka was astonished. "I had no part in this!"

"No," Jacen admitted, "it was usually just Jaina and Zekk, but I do recall getting you to come with us once."

Tenel Ka tilted her chin up imperiously. "I do not recall this."

Jacen shrugged. "Sure thing, your Majesty." He knew what kind of reaction that would get.

Tenel Ka disappointed him by simply glaring.

"Where are we going?" she finally asked.

Jacen stopped in front of his door. "Right here." He pressed his thumb to the bioscanner on the door.

"Do you intend to keep me in suspense all day?" Tenel Ka questioned.

Jacen didn't have to answer as the door swished open.

The figure on the other side of the door grinned at Jacen, her eyes sparkling at Jacen as she rattled something off in a language completely unfamiliar to Tenel Ka.

Tenel Ka took in the loose blonde curls and striated green-blue eyes, and looked back at Jacen.

Jacen was smiling at her, one arm resting warmly on the other girl's shoulders. "_Mieca_," he addressed the blonde on his right, "this is a friend of mine, Tenel Ka Djo." He looked back at Tenel Ka. "Tenel Ka, this is Sieren.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After nearly thirty hours trapped, more or less by one's own doing, in a four-by-six unit cockpit, insanity, or at least a milder version of it, seemed less and less a thing of the distant imagination.

Jaina now knew the text-via-astromech transmission system inside and out, since she'd spent at least six hours sending herself messages.

She knew it had to have been more than six hours, but how much longer, was anyone's guess, since the chronometer had abruptly quit ten hours after departure.

Now she was infecting her companions with her insanity.

She hit the transmit control and grinned at the audio ping that came with a returning message.

EVER WONDERED HOW MANY ALDERAANIAN GUNDARKS WOULD FIT INTO YOUR COCKPIT? The typing signature was Kyp's.

Jaina rolled her eyes. NO, BUT I BET YOUR GONNA TELL ME. HOW MANY?

The reply was almost instantaneous. NONE. GUNDARKS AREN'T FROM ALDERAAN.

Jaina groaned.

FORGIVE MY RUDENESS, Jag broke in, BUT, MASTER DURRON, YOUR HUMOR IS LACKING.

AT LEAST I HAVE A SENSE OF HUMOR TO LACK. Kyp shot back.

WHY, MASTER, I HAD NO IDEA YOU WERE SO ADEPT AT OXIMORONS. It was the snidest comment Jaina had ever heard him make.

ALL RIGHT, KIDS, Jaina chided, THAT'S ENOUGH.

KIDS? Jag questioned.

MOM, HE'S HITTING ME! Kyp continued.

HITTING YOU? I HARDLY THINK THAT'S POSSIBLE. Jag scoffed.

I MEANT YOU WERE ACTING CHILDISH. Jaina explained his previous query.

BUT WHAT DOES THAT HAVE TO DO WITH HIM ACCUSING ME OF HITTING HIM?

Jaina sighed and banged her head against the dashboard in exasperation. HAVE YOU EVER BEEN ON A LONG TRIP WITH YOUR YOUNGER SIBLINGS, JAG? She typed the question.

There was a long pause. I CAN ASSURE YOU, WYN NEVER ACTED LIKE THAT. Came the indignant reply.

_I give up_. Jaina shook her head at the screen. _this trip is going to be an utter disaster. _

BUT YOU KNEW THAT ALREADY.

Jaina jerked at the words, sending a fierce mental shove Kyp's way along with an invective string of expressions that would have turned her brother's face purple.

_Fine then_. Came the reply.

ALL RIGHT. She typed. JUST LEAVE EACH OTHER AND **ME** ALONE!

THIS UNIT, Jaina frowned at eh new typing signature, then realized Cappie was joining the conversation, FINDS IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR YOUR COMMAND TO BE CARRIED OUT.

Jaina groaned. "Not you, too.

ME TOO, WHAT?

"Never mind." Jaina shook her head. _I'm traveling with three imbecilic idiots, none of which I have any power to hurt_. She wanted to scream at the sheer insanity of it all.

ARE WE THERE YET?

Jaina was ready to start pulling hair out in fistfuls, when a sudden change of view caught her eye.

"Actually," she spoke into her comm pickup, watching Yavin grow larger in her viewport, "as a matter of fact, we are.


	6. Chapter Six: New Faces

Jacen could barely get a moment to think, let alone speak, between the chorus of questions from both Sieren and Tenel Ka.

"Jacen, you never said-"

"-selé je toaou!"

"Now why you never-"

"-zelaeuau aé elia?"

He finally gave up and just waited until they had spewed all their thoughts out.

Never mind the fact that they were doing it all over him.

"Ok, Sieren, hold on." He held up his hand and she quieted almost immediately.

"Tenel Ka?" he looked at the woman standing in front of him. "And please," he muttered, "whole, uninterrupted thoughts."

"Who are you?" she asked flatly, her face a complete mask.

"Ok," Jacen admitted, "I know I didn't-"his commlink buzzed. He sighed. "Sorry. Hold on." He unclipped his commlink from his belt. "Solo." He flicked it on.

"Hi, Jacen." It was Tahiri. "I just got paged. Where are you?"

Jacen smiled. "I'm in my quarters, Tahiri. Sorry to worry you, I just forgot to accept my page."

"Ok. Later." He heard the click when she turned her commlink off.

Jacen put his commlink back on his belt.

"All right, Sieren, what were you going to say?" he sighed.

"Yquìn valos leser?!" she cried.

Jacen opened his mouth to answer her when he was abruptly cut off by a loud wail from the adjoining bedroom.

"Thank you, Si" he rubbed his forehead, "you managed to do the unthinkable and wake him up." He stood and walked into the bedroom, leaving the two girls alone.

Sun and Flame gazed at each other, both seeming to size the other up.

Jacen returned, talking softly to the whimpering baby in his arms.

"Ok," he sighed wearily, looking up at the girls, reflexively continuing to bounce the baby, "maybe we should start over, from the beginning."

The girls waited.

Jacen shook his head quickly. "No. The beginning will take too long. We start here."

"Tenel Ka," he addressed her slowly, "this is my daughter, Sieren."

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Luke?" Mara came into the room, blinking sleepily.

Luke looked up. "What?"

"Did you feel that just now?" she brushed her hair back from her forehead.

Luke frowned. "Feel what?"

Mara paused, as if listening. She suddenly snapped her fingers. "That. Did you feel that?"

Luke attempted to sense around the room. "No...wait, yeah. I do." He looked back at his wife. "What is it?"

Mara looked thoughtful. "I think Jaina's here."

Luke's eyes widened. "Oh."

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tenel Ka just stared at the flaxen-curled sprite for a moment. "Ah." She said finally, a strange expression on her face.

Sieren muttered something that sounded anything but happy.

Jacen shot her an I-love-you-but-you're-pushing-it look. "She's from Tatooine, and speaks Bachi, so I'll be translating." He continued on. "Some things I may opt to leave untranslated." He rolled his eyes with a smile.

"And this," he looked down at the baby he was bouncing, "is Keil." The baby cooed. "He's from Bilbringi. New model: no translation required."

Tenel Ka remained blank-faced.

Sieren smiled at Jacen, shaking her head, and said something.

"She says I'm not good with jokes."

"This is true." Tenel Ka agreed with a small smile.

"She _understands _Basic well enough, but we're still working on the speaking part." Jacen's smile was wry as he sat down on the couch.

Tenel Ka nodded, turning to Sieren. "I am pleased to meet you, Sieren. I am certain your father is very proud to have such a daughter."

The younger girl smiled shyly. "Thank you." The Basic was barely discernible through her thick accent.

Jacen smiled fondly at his daughter. "_Mieca _, vale I tarir."

She nodded and came to take her brother from him.

"How old is she?" Tenel Ka asked absently, watching the girl go into the other room.

"Almost seven." Jacen leaned back with his hands behind his head.

"She is quiet." Tenel Ka noted.

Jacen chuckled. "You say that now. Wait 'til you see her with Tahiri."

Tenel Ka smiled slightly as she sat down beside him. "You have not finished explaining."

Jacen sighed. "No, I guess I haven't."

Tenel Ka waited.

"Sieren's parents were killed during the war, when the ship they were on was pulled out of hyperspace en-route to Ando from Tatooine. One of the Shamed Ones aboard the Yuuzhan Vong interdictor found out they were Jedi, and managed to hide Sieren for almost a month until a resistance cell managed to capture the ship."

"She speaks Bachi." Tenel Ka mused. She looked up at Jacen. "I am curious. How is it you translate?"

Jacen's grin was sheepish. "Uncle Luke's been teaching Bachi to me on the sly for years."

"On the sly'?" Tenel Ka cocked her head questioningly.

Jacen grinned. "Mom's been getting after him to be a government translator for as long as I can remember. His declining excuse was that he didn't know the language well enough.

"Ah." Tenel Ka understood. "It would not do much for his alibi if your mother knew he was teaching you."

"Exactly. And she wouldn't be happy; in fact, you could say it might've caused a family feud."

Tenel Ka smiled. "And Keil?"

Jacen sighed. "Keil's background is somewhat more of a mystery. We really don't know anything about him. He was abandoned at one of the Safecare points with a specific request that he be placed in a crèche family."

"Crèche family?" Tenel Ka frowned.

"Yeah." Jacen stood and walked into the kitchenette. "Uncle Luke got it from something he read from the Old Order files. Apparently, the potential Jedi trainees were removed from their homes and placed into Temple 'group homes' of sorts when they were very young, to sort of prepared them for training." He pulled two mugs out of a cabinet and set them out on the counter. "Uncle Luke didn't agree with their methods, but it gave him an idea." He poured liquid out of a pot on the stove into the mugs. "So he set up families here at the Academy that would be willing to take in force-sensitive children from the state's child-welfare system." He handed Tenel Ka a mug of hot coffeine. "Now, some of the families have formally adopted their children."

Tenel Ka carefully took a sip of the stuff in her hand and somehow managed to keep from making a face.

Jacen, however, was nowhere nearly as cautious or as austere of facial expression.

"UGH!" he coughed, scrunching his face in silent agony. "Tahiri must've come by earlier to check on the kids. Have you ever seen her make caffeine?" he didn't wait for an answer. "She pours buckets of sugar into it!"

Tenel Ka merely handed her mug back to him. "Does Tahiri come by often?"

Jacen shrugged. "Only when she knows I might be gone. She stops by every once in a while to check on the kids." He shrugged again. "She mostly does it for her own conscience. I have a pager that vibrates long and hard if the kids' vital signs change even the smallest amount, and if I don't accept the page, or the problem isn't ramified in less than three minutes, it automatically forwards the page to Tahiri."

"Ah." Tenel Ka nodded. "That was how you could leave them this morning."

Jacen wasn't listening, but frowning at some unseen problem suspended in the air.

"You know," he said slowly, "I think Jaina's here."


	7. Chapter Seven: Arrival

Kyp climbed out of his x-wing and backed down the maintenance ladder.

Zero-One whistled inquisitively.

"NO, that's ok." Kyp called back. "I don't think I'll be going anywhere tonight." He dropped the last meter onto his feet. "Unless of course, this little vacation turns out to be even more unbearable that I thought."

He turned and saw Jaina standing by her x-wing, her hair mashed against her head from her flight helmet.

He was disgusted to find that Jag looked as immaculately starched as ever.

"Of course," he mumbled darkly, "you can't wrinkle cardboard."

"Great One," he approached Jaina, "do you have any idea where we're supposed to go for temporary quarters?"

"None, whatsoever." Jaina replied. "To be perfectly honest, I'm not even sure if we're allowed to park our fighters here." She threw her hands up. "Master Skywalker didn't exactly send me an outlined agenda."

Kyp rolled his eyes. Jaina had a tendency to become frantic when she hadn't slept much.

"Neg that Goddess." He nodded toward the large bay entrance into the Temple's main area. "We've got company."

Jaina turned, half-expecting to see white armor marching toward her.

Instead, it was Luke, Mara, and three children, followed closely by Tahiri.

Jaina grinned and ran to hug Mara.

"Well," Jag remarked in monotone, watching the exchange, "I believe congratulations are in order."

"Oh, really?" Kyp managed to keep a straight face." Don't tell me she DIDN'T turn you down this time?!"

Jag narrowed his eyes. "You know very well what it is I speak of."

Kyp grinned, but said nothing more. He walked over to Mara and Jaina.

"Master Skywalker," he bowed smoothly, knowing the title would annoy Mara, "you look absolutely beautiful as usual."

Mara smiled. "Kyp," she sighed, "ever the flatterer. I'm surprised; you actually seem like you mean it this time."

"He wants something." Jaina broke in.

Kyp effected a wounded expression.

Loud screeching nearby caused the three to turn their heads.

Ben was arguing with the older blonde girl beside him, who had something he obviously wanted.

Luke was attempting to calm them, but from Kyp's perspective, it appeared that he was about to join the screaming.

"Excuse me just a moment." Mara said smoothly, smiling in amusement as she stepped toward the group.

"I had not realized the Skywalkers had other children." Jag spoke from Jaina's shoulder, causing her jump slightly.

"Actually," she shifted until she could see him out of the corner of her eye, "the other two are my brother's kids."

Jag's eyebrows shot up. "I didn't know your brother was married."

Jaina smirked. "He's not." She replied simply, offering no further explanation.

'Oh." The vague expression of disapproval on the colonel's face told Kyp that Jag had taken her bait.

_Great job, Goddess. You've got Colonel What's-his-pants thinking you have a loose zipper for a brother_.

_Kyp!_ Jaina's outraged astonishment made him rethink the wisdom in his statement.

He mentally ducked. _What? Don't tell me you didn't know what he was thinking._

_Actually_, he caught her mental smirk_, I did. But you aren't supposed to know that._

_Poor Jacen. _Kyp sighed.

_Yep. _Jaina grinned. _He's going to have to work himself back into Jag's good graces._

_You're an evil sister._ Kyp reproached.

_I know._ Jaina grinned wickedly.

_Speak of the devil…_ Kyp mused.

Jaina whirled and ran to her brother.

"Hey, Jase!" she exclaimed, throwing her arms around his neck.

Jacen smiled. "Hey, Jaina." He kissed her cheek.

"Surprised?" Jaina grinned.

Jacen smiled back. "Yeah. Good surprise though." He shuddered. "Not like finding out my bill last month was over three times what it should've been."

Jaina stared at him incredulously, dying to hear the story. "What happened?"

Jacen grimaced. "Sieren was leaving the heating unit in the refresher on all night long. I always wondered why it was so hot in there in the mornings."

Jaina laughed. "My little brother is a terribly inobservant daddy."

Jacen rolled his eyes. "Please. Not you, too."

"Who else?" Kyp walked up and joined the conversation.

"Tahiri." Jacen supplied with a hidden grin.

"Tahiri?" Kyp was surprised. "She's lecturing you on how to be a better father?!"

Jacen grinned. "Ironic, isn't it?"

Kyp muttered something about "should've expected something like that".

Tahiri finally extracted herself from the scene that was still ensuing off to the side. "What about me?" she bounced Keil on her hip.

Jacen just grinned. "Just you and the kids and what a wonderful mommy you make."

Tahiri narrowed her eyes. "Hah. Don't any of you be getting any ideas." She saw Jag off to the side, alone. "Colonel Fel." She nodded cheerfully.

"Jedi Veila." Jag acknowledged her.

"So," Jacen turned back to his sister, "what brings you home for a visit?"

Jaina shrugged. "I wish I knew." She gestured at her aunt and uncle. "Uncle Luke is worrying me with his new abundant sense of humor in keeping my in the dark."

Jacen smiled knowingly. "He's a little preoccupied these days, what with Aunt Mara's condition."

Jaina shook her head. "And he's still got two and a half months to go."

"Yeah, well, maybe I'll take a vacation during that last month." Jacen muttered.

"Oh, come on, Jase." Jaina laughed. "He can't be all that bad."

Both Jacen and Tahiri just stared at her.

"Ok, maybe he can." Jaina amended.

Luke approached them, completely unaware that he was the subject of conversation. "Jaina," he smiled, "welcome home." He hugged his niece.

"Thanks, Uncle Luke." She smiled. "Though it was no small matter getting here." She eyed him curiously. "Are you going to tell me the big secret, or am I going to have to guess?"

"Actually," Luke shook his head, "neither. I can't explain it now, but you're just going to have to wait." He was sober for a moment, then brightened. "In the meantime," he turned to Mara, "how about we go eat?"

Jaina glanced at her brother with one brow raised.

Jacen shrugged. _ See? _

Jaina nodded before looking back at her wingmates. "How 'bout it, guys? You hungry?"

Jag nodded stoically.

"I thought you'd never ask." Kyp exclaimed in mock relief.


	8. Chapter Eight: The Threat

"Jati, sele entri vou?" Sieren tugged on his tunic.

Jacen fumbled with the scancard in his hand, trying to balance Keil with one arm.

Keil was in no way cooperating, screaming and squirming enough that Jacen seriously wondered if he was going to drop him.

"Jati!" Sieren was becoming insistent.

The server behind the counter tried to hide her knowing smile as she punched a command into the device at her fingertips to balance his scancard and handed him his tray of food.

Jacen had yet to figure out what extra hand he was going to use to carry it.

"Jati!" she was pulling so hard, he thought his arm might come off.

"Ok, ok, hold on." He stared at the tray on the counter, shuffling Keil from one arm to the other.

"Need some help, mama?"

Jacen turned, relief washing over him.

Tahiri was smirking.

"I'll even let you call me that if you'll take him." Jacen bargained, desperately holding Keil out to her.

Tahiri grinned and took the wailing baby.

Jacen turned back to the counter and picked up the tray.

"What in the world did you feed this child to give him such a yell?" Tahiri grumbled, bouncing Keil in an attempt to quiet him as she followed Jacen to a table.

"Don't look at me," Jacen held up his hands, "Jaina fed him last night."

Tahiri lifted the baby to her shoulder, rubbing his back. "Poor baby. Aunt Jaina fed you? No wonder your tummy hurts."

Jacen choked on his forkful of katchin.

"Careful, " he warned, handing Sieren her bowl, "don't give him any bad impressions of my sister. If she's going to help me at all with the kids while she's here, I can't have them thinking she's a monster on the loose."

"Never said anything of the kind." Tahiri continued rubbing Keil's back as she picked up a pashi cake off the tray and took a bite.

Jacen froze, a look of betrayal on his face. "That was mine."

Tahiri shrugged, grinning. "Small price to pay for all that I do for you."

Jacen grumbled under his breath.

"All right, Sieren, what did you want?"

Sieren pointed across the room at a shelf of sugar-crusted dried fruits.

"Sieren, honey," Jacen tried to explain, "I already paid. How about some pashi?"

"No." It was one word that seemed to be universal.

Jacen sighed. "Ok. What do you want? That's already on our tray." He amended when she started to point back to the display.

She considered this for a moment before pointing hesitantly at his katchin.

"This?" Jacen asked, his hopes sinking.

Sieren just stared pitifully at the bowl.

Jacen sighed. "Here," he handed it to her. "You can have it."

Sieren looked up at him in surprise. She shook her head and pointed at him.

Jacen repeated the gesture. "No. It's ok. You take it." He pushed the bowl back at her.

Sieren just looked at him for a moment before finally taking the bowl from him.

Tahiri was watching him with a smile.

"What?" Jacen finally noticed.

Tahiri just smiled. "Nothing." She shifted Keil. "So, what are you doing today?"

Jacen sighed heavily. "Well, we were going to go over to Blue Leaf, but now I think maybe I'll just take these two back to our quarters and take a long nap." He grimaced. "Before I have to think about dinner."

Tahiri laughed. "Do you know what you need, Jacen?"

"No." Jacen didn't even try to guess. "What?"

Tahiri reached across the table and plunked Keil down in his lap. "A wife." She stood.

Jacen watched, gape-mouthed as she walked away. "Ok." he muttered. "That was interesting."

Keil picked that moment to whimper.

"Oh no." Jacen looked down at him. "You're not going to cry, are you?"

The baby's lip trembled, his eyes filling as he looked back at Jacen.

"Please." Jacen begged. "Don't cry."

Keil's only response was to upgrade his whimper into a full-blown wail.

"Great." Jacen groaned, bouncing the baby desperately. "Si, are you almost done?"

The little girl stared at him, her mouth full of food.

"I'm going to take that as an 'almost'." Jacen decided out loud. "Hurry, I don't know how long it will be before security decide to kick us out of the Academy for disturbing the peace."

Sieren stared uncomprehendingly, frowning as she chewed slowly.

"Hurry." Jacen repeated, standing.

Sieren swallowed the last bite and followed him out of the cafeteria.

"Ok," Jacen spoke softly to Keil as they walked towards their quarters. "We're almost home, and then you can have a nice long nap." He threw him up into the air and caught him, producing a laugh. "You like naps, don't you?" he kissed the baby's cheek. "Well, it doesn't really matter. Daddy likes long naps."

Sieren muttered something in disagreement.

"Yes, Si," Jacen grinned, " I know you don't like naps. If you just want to quietly look at your books, that's fine."

Sieren nodded, finding this acceptable.

Jacen turned the last corner before their complex, vaguely wondering what was nagging him.

"Hey, Si, watch him for a second." he set Keil down. The baby simply leaned back against the wall and watched his sister with wide-eyed fascination.

Jacen keyed in the security code and pressed his thumb to the bioscanner.

The door swished open almost immediately, bringing with it a blast of cooler air and the sound of the comm.

Jacen didn't notice.

He stared in horror at the images in front of him.

"Oh stars." He breathed. "No, Sieren!" he whirled, catching her before she could run into the room. He pushed her up against the wall and fired a round of shots into the room before slamming the door-close command on the security pad.

He picked up Keil, who was once again making his protests at loud noise known. "Come on." He said to Sieren, roughly grabbing her hand and taking off down the hall.

"Ri," he picked up his commlink, fumbling with the on switch in his rush, "change of plans. Are you in your room?'

"Yeah." Tahiri's voice came on the channel.

"Good. Stay there."

"Jacen? Where are you?"

"In the hall outside your quarters." Jacen said hurriedly, turning a corner. "I need you to take the kids for me."

"Ok. Why?" she sounded bewildered.

"I can't tell you right now. Can you open the door?"

His reply was a door down the hall hissing open.

Tahiri appeared in the doorway, commlink in hand, a frown on her face.

"Thanks." Jacen handed Keil to her and practically shoved Sieren into the room. "I have to hurry. Go inside and shut the door."

Tahiri's frown deepened. "Jacen? What in all the nine hells-"

"Not now." Jacen interrupted her. "Just do it. Go inside, lock the door, and have your lightsaber close by. Please, Ri, just do as I say."

With that, he turned and ran back down the hall.

Tahiri stared after him a moment before backing into her room and slamming the door.


	9. Chapter Nine: Old Friends

Ok, well, all the formatting I tried to do didn't work, so just IMAGINE the nice little white space in between the sections. :p

"All right, Jacen. " Luke held his hand out as if to block his running tirade. "Slow down."

Jacen took a deep breath and ran his fingers through his hair, ruffling his unruly hair even more.

"Luke?" Mara came out of the bedroom, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.

"I'm sorry." Jacen apologized. "I didn't mean-"

"No, it's ok." Mara chook her head, pressing one hand into her back. "I was getting up already." She sat down in the large, overstuffed chair, stifling a yawn. "What's going on?"

"That's what I'm trying to figure out." Luke explained.

"Someone was in my apartment." Jacen continued.

"Someone besides Jaina, I take it." Luke noted.

Mara chuckled softly.

Jacen nodded, hesitating. "I think we have an infiltrator."

Luke straightened. "What kind of an infiltrator?"

Jacen took a deep breath. "Yuuzhan Vong."

"Wait, hold on." Luke stopped him. "Someone broke into your apartment, and you think we have a Yuuzhan Vong infiltrator?"

"They have doctors for that kind of association." Mara remarked dryly.

"And it's not like they're an infiltrator just because they're Yuuzhan Vong." Luke went on. "Taan is Yuuzhan Vong, and we all know she's here." He eyed his nephew carefully. "Isn't this kinda just out of the blue?"

Jacen sighed. "I wish it was."

"I really don't like the sound of that." Mara mumbled, shifting in her seat.

"No joke." Luke caught her movement. "Are you all right?"

Mara rolled her eyes. "Give me a break, Skywalker. Get back to your investigation."

"Please," Luke groaned, "don't call it that." He looked at Jacen. "What do you mean?"

Jacen rubbed his forehead. "I've been getting threats over the last five or six months."

"Threats?" Luke echoed.

"Yeah." Jacen nodded. "They stopped about a couple of months ago, so I thought maybe..."

"That they'd stopped for good?:" Luke supplied.

Jacen nodded. "I guess I was wrong."

"Why didn't you say anything?" Mara asked.

Jacen shrugged. "The messages were sent from a public terminal. You can't trace them past which relay point they came through, which only narrows it down to a sector. I can't do anything beyond blocking non-specific transmissions." He shrugged. "And when they stopped, I guess I just wanted to pretend it had never happened."

There was silence for a moment.

"Peace Brigade?' Mara wondered out loud.

"Or maybe one of the small cells we've been mopping up for the last two years."

Jacen shrugged. "In reality, it could be anyone with a grudge against me, and thinks they know how to get to me."

"Some grudge." Mara muttered.

Luke rolled his eyes until he could see his wife, staring pointedly at her.

"Of course, I'm one to talk." Mara added.

Jacen rubbed his hands together nervously, eyeing the pattern on the floor with absent-minded intensity.

"Where are the kids?" Luke rubbed his creased brow uncannily like Jacen had only moments before.

"With Tahiri." Jacen replied quietly. He gave a half-laugh. "I think I scared her."

"You scared Tahiri." Mara repeated in mild disbelief. "I wasn't aware that was possible."

"Yeah well, Solos have been known fro achieving the impossible." Luke muttered.

"Purposefully or otherwise." Jacen agreed.

"You're right, though." Luke stood and set his mug on the counter of the kitchenette. "There really isn't much we can do beyond keeping an eye on things."

"Right." Jacen ran his hand through his hair, a habit that was really starting to bug Mara. "That's what I was afraid of." He stood. "Ok then, I'm going to go clean up."

"Just don't let 'em get to you, Jacen." Mara offered a cheerful smile that she didn't feel.

Jacen paused at the door and turned around. "It's a little late for that."

The streets of Coruscant had changed since before the war. Where once beings of every specie had milled together on the streets, now silence was the only occupant. Once the only natural life had been fungi and lichens. Now one couldn't roam any level in any sector without encountering something alive, friendly or not.

The light wind blew Leia's short hair away from her face as she walked down one long, empty street to the shipyards.

She smiled as she took a deep breath. Another changed was that the winds now brought clean, moist air with it instead of the smoke and smells from the lowest levels.

She moved around a gutted AA-39 transport/freighter that looked as if it had been abandoned there sometime before Coruscant's fall.

One might wonder why it had been allowed to remain there for so long.

But then, Leia smiled, many likely wondered why the _Falcon _hadn't been scrapped decades ago.

She could see the same ship no, standing out like a thumb next to the sleek, innovative cruisers it was parked between.

A string of strident curses drifted towards her, accompanied by the vague sound of banging.

Leia chuckled, seeing her husband, not under the _Falcon_, but the shiny YT-2500 beside it.

"You're never going to learn, are you?" she sighed with a smile.

"Learn what?" He replied indignantly.

"To turn the secondary power link off before you start with the wiring."

"It was Luke!" Han shot back, referring to a previous incident. "And I swear, I thought it was off this time."

Leia smirked. "Sure you did."

She could sense his silent glare.

"What are you adding this time?"

"Whatever idiot owned this before must've been on shot-pot of a pilot. The shielding structure is shot." Han complained. "I had to completely rewire the whole dang system."

Leia smiled, shaking her head. "Did it ever occur to you that Jaina might prefer something a little more standard to something akin to the Falcon?"

"What's wrong with the _Falcon_?" Han sounded hurt.

Leia sighed as she rolled her eyes. "Nothing." She waited a few moments before she thought he was once again engrossed in the circuit repairs. "We got a message from Jacen today, saying Jaina was at the Academy."

"Really?" his preoccupied voice accompanied the audio of his racked clinking against the underbelly of the ship.

"Umm-hmm." Leia nodded, leaning against the hull. "I was thinking we should go see them."

"Leia, honey, you know they don't need us constantly checking up on them every time they turn around."

Leia sighed. "I know. It would just be a visit, Han."

"Right. A visit. For a month. Oh, and while we're at it, why don't we just call it a family reunion." His grin was sarcastic.

Leia tried to find a retort, but knew he was right. "And food." She finally agreed. "Han, I promise it would just be a standard week."

"Leia, I want to go too, but if I leave, I am never going to get this ship done." Han was running out of excuses.

"Have you even figured out why you're giving it to her?" Leia asked, an amused smile on her face.

"Well." Han grunted as he forced the bolt off. "Not really. But do I really need a reason?"

Leia shrugged. "I guess not. You could always give it to her as a wedding gift."

Han's dirty face suddenly appeared, wearing a scowl. "You know something I don't?" he demanded.

Leia hid a smile at his predictable reaction. "No, Han. Just hocus-pocus Jedi feeling."

Han pulled himself up with amazing speed. "Come on." He threw the ratchet in his hand behind him, managing to make it land expertly in the toolbox.

Leia feigned bewilderment. "Where are we going?"

"To the _Falcon_," he called over his shoulder. "I've gotta warm her up. Go pack your bags. We're leaving in half-an-hour."


	10. Chapter Ten

Jacen stared in despair at the scene in his apartment.

Glass littered the floor, making it impossible to make any movement at all without watching your step.

There wasn't a thing left on the small table next to the sofa that wasn't smashed, the pieces strung all over the ground.

Acrid smoke hung in the air, rising from a fist-sized hole in the comm system.

The images painted crudely on the wall had smeared and run, leaving behind a sense of pure hatred and malice.

He didn't even want to venture into the bedrooms.

A noise behind him made him whirl, pulling his blaster out its holster.

Tenel Ka stood behind him, her eyes wide.

"Sorry." Jacen apologized, slumping in relief as he holstered the blaster.

"What happened?" She whispered, staring at the destruction around her.

Jacen attempted a smile. "This? Oh, I was just practicing my aim.

Tenel Ka appeared not to hear him.

"No, actually, someone wanted to send a message." Jacen sighed grimly.

"Who would do this?" Tenel Ka asked fiercely, her eyes piercing him.

Jacen shrugged. "You're guessing is as good as mine.

Tenel Ka narrowed her eyes at him. "You are an awful liar, Jacen Solo.

Jacen sighed. "Yeah, I've been told that before." he scuffed the floor with his toe. "Yuuzhan Vong.

Tenel Ka said something in her own language that sounded distantly like a curse.

"Yeah. My thoughts exactly." Jacen replied.

"We should clean up." Tenel Ka said finally.

Jacen nodded and picked his way through the debris to the kitchen. "You don't have to help, Tenel Ka, really. You didn't come to spend your vacation cleaning up the leftovers from someone's grudge against me.

Tenel Kay's look of annoyance was the most distinct expression Jacen had seen her wear in all his life.

"Do not attempt to prevent me from working." She ordered.

Jacen said nothing more.

"This has happened before?" Tenel Ka asked quietly as she swept the glass shards into a pile.

"Not really." Jacen opened a trash container and dumped a couple of smashed holocubes into it.

"JacenÉ" she reproached. "That is not the whole truth, is it?

"No, not really." Jacen admitted.

"I see." She said. "Where are Sieren and Keil?

"With Tahiri." Jacen quelled his anger as he put a holoflatscreen that Anakin had given him four years ago in with the other smashed articles.

"Ah. Aha.

Jacen smiled in spite of the situation. He turned and looked at the slashed cushions on the sofa. "Stars and galaxies, why did they have to ruin everything?" he muttered.

Tenel Ka looked at him in sympathy. "I am sorry, Jacen.

Jacen ran his fingers through his hair. "It's not your fault.

"no." tenel Ka agreed.

Jacen dumped her pile of glass into the trash. " I hesitate to even go into the bedrooms." He sighed, going over to the door to his room and pushing it open.

Tenel Ka debated between leaving him alone and following him.

The former was winning until she heard the crash.

"Jacen?!" she jumped, dropping the bag and moving quickly to the door.

He was standing at the edge of his bed, his entire body shaking in what she thought was fear.

Until she saw him clenching his fists.

"Jacen?" she asked gently, coming up behind him.

He was staring at a holo print of him and the children, all three of them grinning from ear to ear.

"This isn't fair." He said, his voice hard. "They can haunt me all they likeÉ maybe I deserve it. But when they bring my family into itÉ" he stabbed his fingers at the print, marred by the white dripping image of Yun-Yammka, the slayer. "They can't do that. I'll kill every last one of them before I let them touch Si. And Keil's just a baby for star's sake!" his voice rose. "What do they want with a baby?!

Tenel Ka lay a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Jacen.

"I know." Jacen was quiet. "Let's finish here and go get the kids.

"you never answered my question." Tenel Ka stated as they walked side by side down the hallway.

Jacen sigh4ed. "I sure can't pull anything over on you, can I?

Tenel Ka simply looked at him with one eyebrow raised.

"No." he smiled. "I guess not.

"Your wisdom is profound." Tenel Ka stated.

Jacen burst out laughing. "I must be losing it. I think I just heard the great Queen Mother Tenel Ka Chume Djo crack a joke.

"Silence yourself." Tenel Ka ordered, but there was a smile tugging at her lips.

"All those years were not wasted!" Jacen crowed triumphantly. "Wait Ôtil Jaina hears about this.

Tenel Ka's look was one of horror. "You would not.

"No?" Jacen looked at her.

"No." she stated emphatically. "And we have digressed.

Jacen groaned. "Did anyone ever tell you that you were TOO focused?

"Yes, but do no attempt to change the subject.

Jacen sighed. What was the question again?

"This. Has. Happened. Before." She emphasized each word.

Jacen was silent for a moment. "Not exactly." He said finally. "I've been getting threats for a while.

"From whom?" Tenel Ka demanded.

"I wish I knew." Jacen stuffed his hands in his pockets. "A lot of people dislike me.

"This is not a fact." Tenel Ka protested.

Jacen smiled at her. " Thanks, but you're wrong.

"It would seem that maybe you know more about this than you have said." Tenel Ka reasoned quietly.

"Maybe." Jacen admitted. "I've thought about it for hours, trying to figure out what I missed.

"Some people are evil, Jacen." Tenel Ka stated simply.

Jacen shook his head. "More and more, I'm faced with just how evil this universe can be. How people can hate merely for the sake of hating.

"This is a fact." Tenel Ka agreed softly.

They turned the corner near the single student/master housing.

"It makes me wonder if maybe Vergere was right." Jacen reasoned.

Tenel Ka frowned lightly. "Right how?

Jacen shrugged. "She used to say that Uncle Luke's biggest mistake was having a family. She said family had no place in a Jedi's life.

Tenel Ka continued to frown, silently staring at the ground as they walked. "Jacen, may I ask a question?

Jacen looked surprised. "Sure, I guess.

She hesitated, as if attempting to string the words together. "The life of a Jedi is to live in service, even unto the point of death if necessary, no?

Jacen nodded slowly. "Yeah, I guess that about sums it up.

She once again paused. "Then is a man more willing to give his life for a government or cause, or for the lives of his own children?" she risked a glance at his face.

Jacen blinked, then blinked again. "Wow." He said simply. He looked at her with a small smile. "How do you have that uncanny way of setting me straight?

Tenel Ka shrugged. "Do not think I presume to tell you that you are wrong.

"But you think I am." Jacen inferred.

"Jacen, I did not say this." Tenel Ka shook her head.

"Tenel Ka." Jacen stopped her. "It's ok. I'm not going to be offended. Tell me what you think.

Tenel Ka thought for a moment. "Yes." She said finally. "I believe in this your friend was wrong.

Jacen nodded with a smile. "Thank you.

He stopped in front of the entrance to Tahiri's quarters and began to key the security sequence in. "I'm glad she locked it." He muttered.

He finished and pressed the transmit control.

The door swished open, and Jacen suddenly found himself at the point of lightsaber.

Tahiri slumped. "It's you." She breathed, slowly lowering her lightsaber.

Jacen frowned incredulously. "Who did you think it was?

" I don't know!" Tahiri threw her hands up in the air, still holding her now extinguished lightsaber. "You barge in, dump two hysterical children in my lap without so much as word of explanation except Ôlock the door'!" she glared at him. "For all I knew, we could've been under attack by a new wave of Sith or Yuuzhan Vong!" she stabbed a finger at him. "And before you think I'm over reacting, know that it didn't help anything that I couldn't even sense you.

Jacen looked bewildered. "I was in my Vong-sense." He explained.

"Yuuzhan Vong." Tahiri corrected automatically. "And do you mind explaining why?

Jacen's eyes were steadily widening at the inquisition. "Because occasionally I like to view my surroundings with a different point of view." He said carefully.

"Liar!" Tahiri exclaimed, slamming the flat of her hand against the door.

"Where are the kids?" Jacen asked patiently.

"In the back room, but I'm beginning to question your sanity." Tahiri scowled at him.

"Come on, Tahiri." Jacen protested. "I'm quite sane, and you know it. However, that could change if you don't stop acting so ridiculous.

Tahiri crossed her arms. " Ridiculous, huh? Ok, then explain what in the world was wrong earlier.

Jacen opened his mouth, then stopped.

Tahiri waited.

"Ok." He admitted finally. "You win." he leaned against the wall. "Someone trashed my apartment.

Tahiri narrowed her eyes. "Keep going.

"Ei escihinaatte diajyorikks." Tenel Ka said for him.

Tahiri's gaze jerked from Jacen's face to the other girl. "Jei?!

"Would you please not do that?" Jacen rubbed his forehead. He looked at Tenel Ka. "And when did you learn Yuuzhan Vong?

"When being Queen of a solar system required knowing it." Tenel Ka shot back.

"You're the one on trial here, remember?" Tahiri faced him. "You're the one with a lot of explaining to do.

Jacen sighed, muttering something about a conspiracy.

"Yes," he answered finally. "Someone wrote Yuuzhan bong threats on my walls and smashed everything of value that I owned. And then some." He grimaced.

Tahiri's gaze softened. "Why didn't you tell me?

"What, so you could start the inquisition an hour earlier?" Jacen half-glared.

"Jacen, I'm sorry about giving you the third degree." Tahiri apologized. "You had me worried stiff.

"Sorry." Jacen smiled apologetically.

"You have a wonderful way of doing that occasionally." Tahiri said dryly. "Well, you better go get the kids. They may need years of therapy." She shrugged. "But look on the bright side; they could need lifetimes.

Jacen's smile faded. "Let's hope you're wrong." He said softly, walking to the door to the back bedroom.


	11. Chapter Eleven: Some Things Never Change

"No, no, no! Turn it off, turn it off!" Han yelped, covering his face with his hands.

Leia appeared at the open maintenance hatch, which on the Falcon, was the entry of most frequent use.

"Still the wrong one?" she surmised, half-smiling.

Han just glared, blowing on his burned hands.

Leia sighed. "I'll take that as a yes."

"Remind me to chuck the whole system when we get back."

Leia chuckled. "Haven't I been telling you the same thing for years?"

Han appeared miffed. "It just now gave out. I milked three years out of it since the last time we had problems."

"Because you babied it so much during those three years." Leia grinned.

"Huh." Han merely grunted.

Leia sighed and crossed her arms under her chin. "How much longer until we reach Yavin?"

Han laughed as he jerked a handful of wires out of a row of parts along the wall. "Now you're starting to sound like Jaina when she was little. 'Are we there yet?'."

Leia chuckled again. "So how long?"

"About three hours, according to the NaviComputer." Han glanced at the mainframe display.

"Which means anywhere from ten seconds to a standard week." Leia translated dryly.

Han looked up at her with a fierce scowl. "That NaviComputer along with the rest of this ship has saved you and me more times than you could trace your mother back to Alderaan."

Leia raised one eyebrow.

"Ok," Han winced, "bad analogy."

Leia just smiled.

"Just remind me to take the hyperdrive and the NaviComp out of the Defiant when we get back, ok?"

Leia rolled her eyes. "Are you sure that ship is ever going to get to Jaina?"

Han was indignant. "What, are you accusing me of keeping it for myself?!"

"Well, more like stating it than accusing." Leia muttered.

"Ok." Han pretended not to hear her. "Go try it again."

Leia pushed herself up off her stomach. "Third circuit?"

"Right." Han was already messing with something else. "But better turn four on too, just in case."

"Ok." Leia rolled her eyes as she turned and walked to the central power cores to turn the currents back on.

"Ah!" she heard him yell and hit the breaker switch.

"I said number _three_!" he shouted in outrage. "Not Two!"

"Sorry." Leia called back, hiding a smirk. "But you have two labeled as four."

"Well, fix it then!"

Leia sighed and began to peel the flimsiplast sticker off the breaker. "Why don't you just chunk the whole ship?" she shook her head with a fond smile.

The ship suddenly lurched wildly, throwing her against the durasteel wall, ripped label in hand.

A loud stream of curses emanated from the maintenance hold. "What in all the Nine Hells was that?" Han exclaimed.

"I am so glad the children weren't here to hear that." Leia said, rubbing the back of her head.

Han thoroughly ignored her. "Come on." He brushed past her towards the cockpit.

Leia followed him. "So much for an easy trip." She dropped into the copilot's chair.

"Hey, sister, this was your idea." Han shot back.

"It's your ship." Leia reminded him, flicking controls and glancing near-frantically at the displays.

"Got that right." Han didn't' take the bait.

Leia just sighed.

"Oh." Han said suddenly.

"What?" Leia refused to become alarmed.

"Nothing." Han said innocently.

"What?" Leia demanded, having heard too much of that tone to be fooled.

Han sighed, knowing he wasn't going to get away with anything. "NaviComputer made bad time calculation." He risked a side-glance at Leia. "We're here." He smiled too cheerfully.

Leia just burst into laughter.

"What?" now Han sounded hurt.

Leia finally composed herself enough to face him without reverting to peals of laughter.

"Here I thought you were going to tell me we had run into a Interdictor current, or at least the hyperdrive motivator had blown." She laughed again. "And, no, you're worried about if I've had enough time to do my hair?"

Han smiled sheepishly. "Something like that."

Leia just grinned.

"Ok, then." Han started adjusting controls. "Let's take this baby in."

"Right-o, Captain." Leia followed suit.

"Ok, umm, let's see, compensator up at 98." Han talked to himself. "Shields up, Leia."

She made no reply.

"Leia?" he glanced over at her.

She was grinning from ear to ear, something he had seen her do approximately three times in his entire life.

"What's the message?" he asked after a moment, dialing the shields up himself.

Leia blinked, as if she had just noticed him there. "Huh?"

"What did Luke say?" Han rephrased, nudging the sublight throttle.

Leia grinned. "'Welcome home. The khrepit's in the oven, and the wine is in the cooler.'"


	12. Chapter Twelve: Family Reunion

Jaina took a deep breath and grinned. There wasn't anything in the entire universe that smelled better than smoked krephit.

"Ben Skywalker, what do you think you're doing?"

Jaina glanced across the room at her aunt's voice and saw Mara standing next to the dining table, fists on her hips, one eyebrow cocked at her three-year-old son.

Ben had been caught with his hand in the sweets jar. Literally. His tiny fingers were dripping with the sweet-sour sauce Mara liked on her d'yjala cakes

Jaina had to shake her head at how intimidating Mara could be, even at eight months of pregnancy.

"You mean especially." Jacen said, grinning from beside her, sipping from the flute in his hand.

Jaina grinned back. "I guess so." Her eyes locked onto the drink in his hand. "Is that spiked?"

Jacen effected offense. "You know I don't drink. Besides, Uncle Luke hasn't let Aunt Mara within a standard click of any liquor."

"Smart man." Jaina grinned.

Jacen nodded once. "Yeah. Except for the fact that this is Aunt Mara we're talking about, and Uncle Luke actually believed her when she told him the suspicious lump under Karrde's arm was a benign growth he had never had removed."

Jaina stopped. "Right. Forget what I said. Uncle Luke has never made a smart move in his life. At least not intentionally."

Jacen grinned. "Well, it may not have been completely intentional, but he did marry Aunt Mara."

Jaina nodded with a smile. "And you know... you never did answer my question. Is that spiked or not?"

Jacen simply quirked his eyebrows.

"He has been giving such replies for a standard week." Tenel Ka suddenly seemed to dissolve into existence in front of them. "I am beginning to believe it must be according to his new role as a family head."

" 'Daddy' works just fine, Tenel Ka." Jaina teased." And, yeah, it's a clause in the contract. Parents are sworn to be secretive about all their stuff, but to be nosy about yours."

Tenel Ka nodded decisively. "It is the universal agreement, I believe."

Jaina looked back at her brother. "So..."

Jacen opened his mouth to answer, stalling for the most vague answer he could come up with. He looked down at the glass in his hand, wondering what it would take to convince himself, and therefore, his sister, that the punch was indeed un-spiked, or whatever the pilot's slang for it was.

Except that the glass was no longer in his hand.

Tenel Ka took a sip and immediately handed it to Jaina. "It is spiked."

Jacen just stared drop-jawed at the exchange.

Tahiri joined the group then, laughing hysterically. "Way to go, Tenel Ka! Look," she gestured at Jacen's now-I-know-I'm-losing-my-mind expression, "you could touch him, and he'd, like, fall over dead." Her grin became sly. "'Course, you could do that to him anyway..."

Jaina howled at this, grabbing the shorter blonde by the shoulders and spinning her around in some congratulatory dance.

Jacen continued to stare dumbly for a moment.

"Ok," he said finally, "it's pretty obvious I've become the subject of ridicule and harassment."

Tenel Ka nodded simply. "It is often said on Hapes that if a simple kill is found, it will be used."

Jacen looked at her. "Why do I have the feeling that I have just been served another insult?" he groaned.

Tenel Ka shrugged, eyes twinkling.

Luke burst out laughing then as he entered from the other room, causing both of them to look up.

"Mom!" Jacen was glad Jaina was holding his empty glass, or he might've dropped it.

Leia hugged her son with a smile. "Jacen."

As he pulled away, Jacen could see out of the corner of his eye that his father had grabbed Jaina in a hug that lifted her six inches off the floor.

"You didn't tell us you were coming." He reprimanded lightly.

Leia rolled her eyes with a smile. "I know. Your father seemed to think dropping by without calling first would be a good idea."

Jacen eyed his mother with mild suspicion. "Funny. Normally, I would think that sounds exactly like dad, but this time, I'm not sure." He mused. "What did you tell him this time?"

Leia managed to look perfectly innocent.

Jacen looked back at his father and sister. "Never mind."

Leia chuckled, then noticed Tenel Ka. "Oh! I'm being rude! It is nice to see you again, Queen Mother."

Tenel Ka nodded. "Thank you, Madame Chief of State."

Jacen frowned at his mother. "Did I miss your reelection?"

"You did not." Tenel Ka shook her head. "On Hapes, a ruler never loses her title, even after she no longer holds that position." She nudged him with her shoulder. "It is the smart way to do things."

Jacen appeared shocked, then mumbled something at his feet.

"Where are the children?" Leia broke in.

As if on cue, Sieren and Ben ran squealing through the living room, dodging parents, aunts, uncles, and grandparents.

"Umm." Jacen pointed with a grin. "Right there."

Leia smiled. "She must be more force-sensitive than we thought."

Jacen smiled back. "Maybe. Keil is asleep in Uncle Luke and Aunt Mara's room."

"Dinner!" Ben yelled suddenly, entering the room once again, just ahead of his smiling mother.

Leia followed her son to the dining table. "And how have you been, Jacen?"

Jacen nodded. "Well, I suppose. The kids are keeping me busy, and sometimes I have hard time keeping up with my other work, but other than that..."

Tahiri and Tenel Ka both shot him looks he pointedly ignored.

Leia nodded. "Good. Has Jaina said anything about how her life is these days?"

Jacen shrugged. "Not really. Why?"

Leia smiled as Luke brought the dish of smoked krephit to the table. "I just wondered if there was anything new in her life."

"You mean _someone_ new." Jacen translated, picking up his fork.

"Maybe." Leia smiled.

Jacen shook his head. "Sorry, Mom. You're going to have to pry that out of Jaina."

Leia sighed. "Ok."

A loud wailing emanated from the back room.

Jacen sighed and started to stand.

A hand pushed him back into his seat.

"Stay." Tenel Ka ordered. "I will get him."

Jacen smiled. "Thanks."

A moment later, Tenel Ka reappeared with an amazingly silent Keil in arm.

Jacen stood. "Here I'll take him."

Tenel Ka shook her head emphatically. "You will not. Go eat."

Leia leaned over to whisper in Han's ear. "We are going to stay."

Han frowned. "Leia, I already talked to Jaina. She's not getting married."

Leia didn't look at him. "I wasn't talking about Jaina."


	13. Chapter Thirteen: Peace Keepers

"To the right!"

Jacen was already lunging right to avoid being skewered by the turquoise blade that just barely sizzled by him.

"Shut up, Jaina!" he yelled playfully. "You're making it hard to concentrate!" He swung his own lightsaber to block Tenel Ka's blade.

Tenel Ka didn't slow, but spun to bring her saber around the other way.

Jacen ducked and tried an uppercut.

Tenel Ka jumped smoothly out of the way.

"Yeah, Tenel Ka!" It was Tahiri this time.

Jacen grinned at her subtle expression of mild annoyance.

"Yeah." He swung again. "This is why I didn't want them to come."

"Yes." Tenel Ka grunted. "I did not invite them."

"You blaming me?" Jacen asked, flipping over her.

"Perhaps." Tenel Ka replied as she turned to parry.

"Nope." His blade met hers in a loud clash. "I think Jaina must've been snooping in my mind last night."

"Ah. Aha." Tenel Ka nodded.

"Siblings." Jacen muttered, shaking his head.

Tenel Ka shrugged. ¡" I would not know." She swung hard.

Jacen jumped back, surprised that he hadn't seen that coming.

"You were not paying attention." Tenel Ka supplied.

Jacen mock-glared. "Stay out of my mind."

Tenel Ka looked surprised. "What?"

Jacen shook his head. "Nothing." He mumbled, hoping none of his immediate family had heard the reference.

Luckily, Jaina was the only one around, and she didn't seem to have noticed anything.

"How much longer can you stay?" Jacen brought his lightsaber up to block another advance.

Tenel Ka shrugged. "Ileysa is becoming restless, but she will survive."

Jacen grinned, suddenly rushing at her.

Tenel Ka was not fooled. She ducked quickly out of the way, managing to only receive the mild end of Jacen's blow.

"Ha! It worked!" Jacen crowed. "I got you off balance!" he lunged again.

Tenel Ka had nearly resolved her in-equilibrium, but Jacen's saber met hers with such force, it knocked her to the ground.

Jacen grinned down at her. "I believe-"

Tenel Ka suddenly rolled, knocking his feet out from under him.

Jacen went down with a thud, his mind reengaging just in time to flick Tenel Ka's blade out of his line of sight.

Tenel Ka went with the momentum, spinning around to face him again as he scrambled to his feet.

"Do not assume that because I am down, that I am defenseless." She told him, easily parrying the sloppy sweep he made at her.

"Yeah." Jacen leapt over her. "Not likely to make that mistake again."

She almost smiled, turning again to face him

"Ok, so now we really fight." Jacen panted, sweat dripping off his brow.

Tenel Ka eyed him for a moment, then in a flurry of motion, ran at him.

Jacen danced out of the way, catching her lightsaber on the tip of his.

Tenel Ka twisted the handle, making it appear as if her blade was wrapped around his.

Jacen knew what she was going to do, though, and spun his grip with hers to disentangle the two sabers.

He would later wonder if that was why he never saw her feet moving.

He stared up at the ceiling, attempting to figure out how he had come to be here.

Tenel Ka stood over him and brought her blade within a narrow inch of his throat. "Point."

Applause echoed through the practice gym.

"Whoo-hoo!" a voice taunted. "Jacen got beat by a girl!"

Jacen groaned. "Who let him in here?"

Tenel Ka was busy glaring across the room in the general direction of the voices source. "I do not know, but I would greatly enjoy finding out." She extended her hand to him.

Jacen took it and pulled himself up. "Thanks." He turned his head to look at the group of spectators.

Jaina was glaring daggers, stalking toward Kyp Durron.

"It would not appear that it was your sister who invited him." Tenel Ka mused.

Jacen shook his head. "No. Not really."

They couldn't hear the words, but the expressions on the two pilots faces was enough to know weapons within a standard click were unsafe.

"Think we should go break it up?" Jacen asked with a sigh.

"No. Look." Tenel Ka pointed.

Jag and Tahiri were already quickly approaching the arguing Jedi.

"So nice not to have to be the only peacemaker around here." Jacen muttered, watching as Jag and Tahiri separated Kyp and Jaina.

Tenel Ka smiled at him, something that he was beginning to almost expect. "It is not that you are the only one so much as you are the best one." She said softly.

Jacen smiled back. "Thanks." He picked up his lightsaber off the ground. "All right. I'll bet Uncle Luke has enough of the kids to last him three lifetimes."

"Or four." Tenel Ka agreed.


	14. Chapter Fourteen: Mr Mom

"Jati!"

Jacen shifted Keil, wincing at how sore his arm was from stirring the stew on the cooking unit. "What, Sieren?"

"I can find my shoes!" she yelled back

Jacen rolled his eyes with a smile at her broken Basic. She never could seem to remember the negative form of a phrase.

"Did you look under your bed?" he dropped the stir spoon and turned to the refrigeration unit.

"No! They are there!"

Jacen couldn't help himself; he laughed out loud.

Keil turned his head sharply, startled by the noise. For a moment, he simply stared at his father in fascination, and then began to grin.

Jacen grinned back, hearing Sieren muttering darkly in Bachi in her room, still looking for her missing shoes. Life with his six-year-old was never boring, whether his laughs came from her mischievous spirit, or the fact that her cant's became can's and yes's managed to work themselves into no's.

"Jati! I can find them still!" Sieren was becoming extremely frustrated.

Jacen switched Keil from one arm to the other and picked up the stir spoon again.

"Hang on, Si, I'll come help you look." He turned the heat control under the stew down and turned, setting Keil in his chair.

"I can be late!" Sieren was near frantic.

"I know." Jacen soothed, pushing her bedroom door open enough to slide through.

He surveyed the cluttered room, picking his way through the mountains of stuff, trying to remember what color the flooring underneath it all was. "You know," he reasoned, "if you ever cleaned up in here, things would be a lot easier to find."

Sieren look sheepishly at the junk she was kneeling on. "No."

"Yes." Jacen corrected gently.

Sieren scowled, muttering something in Bachi about hating Basic. She sighed. "Yes."

"All right, well, you look in your container." He pointed at her receptacle against the wall that was supposed to hold toys, but viewing the mess on the floor, he couldn't imagine that it had anything in it. "I'll look in your closet again."

Sieren nodded and crawled to her toy box.

Jacen sighed and began to dig through the mound of clothing in the bottom of her closet.

"Si, are you sure you didn't leave them at the gym yesterday?"

"No."

Jacen wondered if she really meant 'no', or if the words were just getting twisted again.

"Si-"

Keil chose that moment to begin crying.

Jacen groaned and pushed himself to his feet. "Hang on, buddy, I'm coming." He pulled Sieren's door back open.

He jerked back as the smell hit him, and then realized how hazy the room was. "Oh stang." He lunged for the cooking unit and grabbed the twist knob control. He yelled when the pain from the heat finally registered, shaking his hand as if to dislodge any more negative nerve senses that might still be pulsing.

The smoke wasn't coming from the boiled over stove, however.

"Stang!" he exclaimed loudly, jumping toward the small oven, knocking the stir spoon out of the stew as he did.

Smoke was pouring from the vent on the top of the oven, clouding the entire kitchenette/living area with a thick grey haze.

Jacen supposed that meant their breakfast rolls would be burned.

He jerked the oven door open, coughing at the sudden out-pouring of smoke and ash.

Keil began to scream.

He reached into the dark oven and pulled out the baking sheet that had only half an hour ago held six lumps of dough.

He grimaced. There wasn't enough left to perform a burial.

Keil's screaming had risen a couple of decibels in the two minutes it had taken for their entire day's meals to disintegrate.

Jacen groaned at the mess. The stir spoon from the soup was on the floor, the epicenter of a magnificent splatter of gooey stew.

If Jacen hadn't been so weary, he might've marveled at the volume of stew that had been on the falling spoon, and the force of the splatter.

As it was, he didn't even notice that the hot durasteel baking sheet was burning through the thermoglove on his hand.

"Ah!" he yelled suddenly, dropping the pan onto the floor and racing to the sink.

"Jati!" Sieren coughed from the back bedroom.

Keil was still screaming.

The last thing Jacen wanted to hear was the sizzling noise that was coming from cooking unit that should have been off.

"Sithspit!" he could have eagerly quit now and had enough disasters to last him the whole month.

He hop-stepped over to unit to where the substance-formerly-known-as-stew had proceeded to boil over yet again; shaking both of his burned hands in an attempt to relieve them of the never ending pain.

He grabbed a dishtowel, yelping at the rough cloth against his tender hands, and tried once again to turn the heating element off. He finally got it into the 'off' position and shoved the glowing pot of soup onto the back of the unit.

The amazing part of it all was that Keil had finally quit screaming.

Jacen turned around, expecting to find the baby either gone, or passed out from the smoky air. Instead, the three-month-old was watching him silently, one fist shoved in his mouth.

Tenel Ka stared at him, bouncing Keil lightly in her arms. "What in all the galaxy happened here, Jacen Solo?"

Jacen sighed and only just barely kept from sinking to the floor in weary relief. "Uh... Quite a lot, actually."

Tenel Ka surveyed the room with a speculative eye. "I can see that. I meant details."

"Ahh..." Jacen trailed off, unsure where to begin.

"Jati," Sieren appeared at his side then, "I am late! I can find my shoes!"

Jacen was ready to fall over dead if something didn't give. "Si..." he groaned. "Can't you just go barefoot like Aunt Tahiri?"

Sieren seemed to think that over for a moment. She finally nodded once. "No."

Tenel Ka raised one eyebrow as the six-year-old kissed her father's cheek and skipped happily out the door. "No?" she looked back at Jacen.

Jacen grinned wryly. "Like I said, Basic is still a work in progress."

"Ah." Tenel Ka nodded, reflexively bouncing Keil again to keep him quiet.

"So..." Jacen began, bending over to pick up the discarded stir spoon. "What's up?"

"Actually, Master Skywalker has called a meeting."

Jacen straightened. "When?"

He could've sworn he saw her smirk. "Now."

Jacen groaned. "Ok." He tossed the spoon into the sink and grabbed the dishtowel.

"Just let me finish up with these-" he grimaced, "-rolls."

Tenel Ka eyed the pile of ash curiously. "Is that what they were meant to be?"

Jacen just glared. He dropped the pan into the full sink. "Ok." He held out his arms to take Keil. "Let's go."


	15. Chapter Fifteen: Enemies Returned

Han shifted in his seat, wearing a dark scowl.

"I can't believe you woke me up this early for some durn meeting." He grumbled.

Leia hid a smile, knowing he was just crabby about not being able to sleep in.

"Blame Luke." She said simply. "He's the one that called the meeting."

"Yeah." Han admitted. "But you're the one that said I needed to come."

"Think of it as a cultural experience." Leia suggested. "A day in the life of a Jedi Master."

"Actually," Mara grinned from the seat in front of Leia, "this really isn't a typical day at all." She jerked her thumb at her husband. "Farmboy doesn't even get out of bed 'til the lunch bell most days."

"That's not entirely true." Luke protested. "I get up earlier than that on the mornings I have classes to teach."

"Besides," Han broke back in, "I've seen enough of the Jedi life to know it wouldn't ever work for me." He grinned as Leia rolled her eyes. "It's the kids you need to be convincing." He looked around the room. "Speaking of the kids," he mused, "where are they?"

"Coming." Luke assured him, smiling. "Jaina was in the midst of trying to wake up Kyp and Colonel Fel when I last talked to her."

Han stared at Luke, immediately going into father mode. "You sent my baby girl to wake up two sleeping males?!"

"Yes, Solo." Mara's voice was dry. "' Waking someone up' does usually mean they were asleep." She smirked. "And I do believe they were male the last time they checked."

Han glared at Mara before turning to Luke. "I don't remember her sense of humor being this vicious."

Luke smiled. _Hormones_. He mouthed.

Mara promptly kicked him.

"So Jaina's coming." Leia entered the conversation smoothly. "What about Jacen?"

Luke frowned lightly. "I called his comm earlier, but he wasn't answering. Tenel Ka was headed down there to find him."

Han groaned. "You're just trying to get my kids in trouble."

Leia looked at Han in mild disapproval. "Please have a little more faith in your son and daughter, who are no longer children, by the way."

Han shifted again. "It's not my kids I don't trust." He looked at his wife. "And if I say they're kids, they that's what they are."

Luke was hiding a grin at the entire exchange. "Anyway, Jacen should be coming. He might be late, though."

Han scowled. "How is it Jacen's supposed to be the responsible Jedi here, and he's allowed to be late, and I'm not?"

"Jacen has two children." Luke said simply.

The door opened then, and Jaina walked in, followed by a barely-coherent Kyp Durron, and an immaculate Colonel Fel.

"I swear I've never seen a wrinkle on that kid." Han muttered.

Leia just elbowed him.

"Mom." Jaina hugged her mother. "Hey, Dad."

Han hugged his daughter. "Hey, sweetheart."

"What, no lecture?" Leia whispered as their twenty-one-year-old daughter moved to sit down.

"Nah." He shook his head. "Kyp would've looked guilty if I'd needed to talk to her."

"What about Jag?" Leia was incredulous.

Han turned slightly to stare at her. "Leia, honestly. If I though Fel had touched her, I would've shot him when he walked in the room. Besides," he faced the front of the room, "it takes two to do anything."

Leia had to laugh at that.

"Where's Jace?" Jaina wanted to know.

Luke sighed. "Coming." He purposefully didn't mention the other half of his earlier statement.

Jaina nodded.

Tahiri waltzed through the door then, bypassing everyone in the room to go straight Mara.

She handed a datapad to the older woman. "I just finished this."

Mara nodded. "Thanks, Tahiri. I meant to ask you last night, how was Ben?"

Tahiri grinned. "Like you have to ask. He was great."

"Good." Mara grinned dryly. "Not quite sure where he gets that angel gene."

"Certainly not from you." Luke muttered, smiling.

"Got that right." Mara shot back.

Luke looked up as the door opened again, revealing one Keil-laden Jacen, followed closely by Tenel Ka.

"What happened?" Luke stared incredulously at Jacen's wrapped hands.

"Do not even ask." Jacen shook his head adamantly.

"This is a fact." Luke could've sworn he saw Tenel Ka swiftly cover an out-of-character smile, but he shook his head, dismissing it on a week of two-hour sleep times.

"All right, then, since everyone is here, we'll go ahead and start." Luke pulled small microwave remote out of his pocket. "We got this from the Bilbringi's NRI branch a couple of weeks ago. I want you to just watch this and then tell me what you think." He punched a button on the remote, angling it in the general direction of the holoprojector mounted on the wall.

The bodies lay on the floor in complete disarray, the only order seeming to be the patterns of blood on the floor. The dust falling through the air had a strange pink hue, as if even the air was saturated with blood. Angry words were scrawled across the durasteel walls, the blood they were written in smearing and running down the surface until the characters were almost entirely indecipherable. Almost.

"Jei kelrizkk." Tahiri murmured in horror.

Tenel Ka muttered something Dathomirian in agreement.

"Why are we seeing this now?" Jaina demanded. "Don't tell me the Vong recorded this three years ago and sent it now to taunt us."

"No." Luke was quiet. "They didn't. The Outlander project only disappeared a month ago."

He distinctly heard Han swearing amid the murmurs from the others.

"Master Skywalker," Leia turned, just now noticing Taan's slight shadowy form in the back corner, "that yorrik coral is not the right color."

Jaina turned, frowning. "What do you mean?"

Taan turned her large silver-green eyes on the pilot. "The yorrik coral from the war was a lighter pink because it was grown on Belkadan. The nutrients there were unusual." She gestured at the frozen holo. "The dust you see is yorrik coral particles, but it is not the same."

"She's right." Tahiri was looking closer at the paused image. "That dust is almost black."

Taan nodded. "Do you remember it?"

"Why would she..." Jacen trailed off, his heart sinking.

"Yes." Tahiri whispered, her eyes dull.

"I don't understand." Jag spoke, frowning.

"It's too dark to be yorrik coral from Belkadan, meaning this isn't from the war." Tahiri explained. "But the color matches the stuff they grow at home."

"Home?" Jag was still frowning.

"Home. Yuuzhan Vong home." Tahiri whispered. "And that stuff should all be dead. Was dead, in fact, before the war even ended."

Silence.

"Great stars." Leia broke the stillness first. "They're back."


	16. Chapter Sixteen: Family Moment

Laughter rang out, echoing on the tiled stone walls.

Jacen watched as Sieren backed up against one of the damp stone walls, grinning widely.

"Nei!" she shook her head, still grinning. "Tenire saelna!"

Han grinned back. "Don't you 'nay tayneer sale nah' me!" he glared playfully, smacking the water around him. "Get in!"

Sieren only shook her head again, laughing gleefully as her grandfather moved to stalk up the submerged steps after her.

"Amazing, isn't it?"

Jacen tore his eyes off his father and daughter and looked up to see his mother smiling down at him.

"What is?" he asked.

Leia sank slowly to the tiled edge of the pool, dipping her bare feet into the warm water. She sighed with a smile, nodding toward Han and Sieren. "The way he can blast through any situation with that stupid grin."

Jacen had to chuckle, watching as his father dangled Sieren over the water by her ankles. "So that's what it is."

Leia smiled again, silent for a moment. "Where's Keil?" she finally asked.

Jacen was grinning at Sieren's intermittent screaming laughter as Han dipped her dangerously close to the water. "He was getting cranky," Jacen explained, "so I took him back to my apartment. Tahiri offered to stay with him."

"That was sweet of her." Leia smiled.

"No. not really." Jacen replied blandly. "She's currently either ransacking my holodrama collection, or eating me out of house, home, and planet." He grinned. "Probably both."

Sieren screamed loudly, causing mother and son to look up just in time to see Han let go of her feet.

Both laughed when the little girl returned to the surface, sputtering and yelling indignantly in Bachi. It took only a few moments of pouting, though, before Han leaned down close enough for her to jerk him in.

"Well, if they aren't two of a kind." Leia shook her head in wonder.

Jacen was incapable of answering.

"One could never begin to think, Jacen Solo, that perhaps you were in any way passed over when Yejion handed out the gift of humor."

Leia looked up at the dry voice to see Tenel Ka walking toward them.

Jacen was still laughing.

"No." Leia shook her head in agreement, "I'm not entirely sure he's genetically capable of being serious."

Tenel Ka sat down on the opposite side of Jacen, nudging him as she did.

"Hey," Jacen protested, "quit shooting a helpless man while he's down."

"If you are helpless, it is of your own doing." Tenel Ka declared.

"I refuse to comment on the grounds of self-incrimination." Jacen muttered.

"Oh, here comes Jaina." Leia murmured, her gaze on the door.

Jacen glanced up with a smile for his sister. "Hey, Jaina."

Jaina smiled. "Hi, Jace." She plopped down on the ground beside her mother and proceeded to jerk off her boots and throw them over her shoulder.

"Oh." She sighed happily, trailing her feet in the water. "Perfect ending to a perfectly rotten day."

"Indeed." Tenel Ka nodded shortly." It is warm in here."

"it's even warmer in the water." Jacen grinned.

Tenel Ka narrowed her eyes. "Do not."

"Jati!" Sieren called from the other end of the pool. "Watch!"

Jacen turned his head with a smile, watching her balance on his father's shoulders.

"Deiía!" he applauded, more for her glowing smile than the actual trick.

"Hey, Si," Jaina called slyly, "I'll give you a credit if you can do a double flip off."

Jacen nearly got whiplash turning his head to look at his sister. "Jaina, what in all the galaxy— Do you want her to get killed?!" his gaze flew back to his daughter. "Sieren Yarí Solo, don't you even—"

Sieren was still balancing on her grandfather's shoulders, looking back and forth between her father, who was adamantly shaking his head no, and her aunt, who was nodding encouragingly.

It could've been a debate to rival those of the Galactic Senate.

Sieren finally just grinned and jumped off Han's shoulders, flipping two and a half times through the air before smacking the water so loudly, even Tenel Ka winced noticeably.

She was still grinning, though, when she came to the surface and swam quickly to the side of the pool.

Jaina laughed out loud when the six-year-old stuck out her hand.

"How 'bout I give it to you when you're dry?" she suggested.

"Ok." Sieren grinned.

Jacen shook his head ruefully. "Si, if Aunt Jaina offers you a credit to jump off a cliff, please, don't do it, ok?"

Sieren just giggled and scolded him in Bachi for being so silly.

"There's Tahiri." Jaina nodded toward the door, where the barefoot blonde was coming in, carrying Keil in one arm, and a couple of dry towels in the other.

"Hey, buddy." Jacen took his one from Tahiri and kissed his cheek. He looked back to Tahiri. "Did he sleep at all?"

Tahiri nodded. "Out like a light 'til about ten minutes ago. I tried to get him to go back to sleep, but he just wanted to talk."

Jacen bounced the baby. "You feel better after your nap?"

Keil just giggled and blew bubbles at Jacen.

"I'm glad you're holding him, and not me." Tahiri remarked when Jacen got slobber all over him.

Jacen just grinned.

"Jati! Come in!"

Jacen looked towards the pool and saw Sieren beckoning.

"Oh, Si, I don't really..." he trailed off at the pitiful look on her face.

"Please?" she begged.

"You can not refuse her when she is hopeful enough to use the proper words." Tenel Ka told him, reaching up to take Keil from him. "Go. Play. We will be fine." She made a brief, futile attempt to smooth the baby's curly, downy hair.

Keil just grinned up at her before shoving a fist into his mouth.

"All right." Jacen sighed, pulling his shirt over his head and tossing it onto a larger chair. "Look out below!"

Sieren screamed gleefully when Jacen jumped in, spraying everyone outside the pool.

"What are we playing?" Tahiri asked, climbing into the pool to join the growing group.

"Matzi." Jaina replied, referring to a blind water-ball tag. "Dad's rules: absolutely no force use allowed."

Tahiri pouted slightly, then grinned slyly. "And who's refereeing?"

"Mom." Jaina supplied, swimming to the side of the pool where the water balls were sitting.

"Any room for two more?"

Jaina, along with the rest of the room, looked up to see who was asking.

Her uncle grinned at them from the front end of the room, letting go of Ben's hand to avoid being summarily drug into the pool.

"Sure." Han waved at him. "The more the merrier, 'less Mara's gonna play."

"Not on your life, Solo." Mara replied dryly, taking a seat at the edge of the pool beside Leia. "I have no great desire to let a bunch of younglings throw water-logged whammies at me for sport."

"Who are you calling 'younglings'?" Jacen demanded, his hands going to his waist in a manner much like Mara's own frequently.

Mara smirked. "Only those of you who are under thirty."

"Well," Jaina quipped, "it's either under thirty, or over, what, sixty?"

"Young lady, that was an unforgivable insult." Han growled.

Jaina bowed apologetically. "You're right. It's disrespectful of me to detract ten years of you wisdom."

Luke lobbed on of the balls at her.

"Ok, ok!" Jaina laughed, ducking. "Who's tagman?"

All fingers pointed back at her.

"Fine." Jaina sighed, closing her eyes. "One, two, three, four..."

Jacen backed up into a corner of the pool, waiting for Jaina to quit counting.

"...seven, eight, nine, ten!"

Jacen froze, hoping his mother was paying close enough attention to be a good referee.

Jaina stood in the middle of the pool, still and silent, listening for any movement.

Jacen could see Tahiri standing in the opposite end of the pool, palming one of the water balls.

Jacen glanced around to see where everyone else was.

His father was halfway between him and Tahiri, pressed against the side of the pool, as if to make himself invisible. Luke was directly across from Han, shaking his head at Ben not to move.

Sieren was making faces at her aunt, taking advantage of one of the few moments when apprehension and retaliation were far off thoughts.

Jaina lunged then, causing Ben to stifle a squeal.

Jacen had to stop a laugh as his father carefully sidestepped out of Jaina's direct path.

Jaina had caught the movement, though, even without the Force.

Han scowled darkly when she changed directions to follow him.

Jaina must've known without looking the face that her father was wearing, because she was grinning.

"What, Dad? Don't like to be hunted?" she teased.

"No," Han replied, abandoning caution to move away more quickly, "and you're cheating!"

"Actually, she's not." Leia informed him, a note of laughter in her voice.

Tahiri saw Han's predicament, as Jaina was about to tag him, and tossed him the ball in her hands.

Han caught it and grinned at Jaina, almost hoping she would tag him now.

Jaina cocked her head as if thinking, her eyes still closed.

"Matzi." She called finally.

Han's jaw fell, wondering if his wife wasn't being partial in her officiating. He quickly threw the ball to Luke, ducking out of the way as Jaina jumped to tag him.

He was so busy trying to stay away from Jaina's blind poking, he never saw the ball arcing through the air toward him.

"Ow!" it hit him full in the face, knocking him back into the side of the pool.

Jaina grabbed the floating ball out of the water while the rest of the room laughed.

"Dang it," Han grumbled, rubbing the back of his head, "who threw that?"

"I did." Jacen was sheepish. "Sorry."

"So, mom, what's the ruling? Incomplete pass, or fumble?" Jaina was intermittingly wringing the water out of the ball in her hand, and submerging it.

"Incomplete pass." Leia said immediately.

"What?!" Jacen exclaimed. "It was completed! Dad just didn't catch it!"

Leia shrugged. "Ruling stands. Sorry, Jacen."

Sighing loudly, Jacen swapped places with Jaina, closed his eyes, and counted to ten.

He could feel Tahiri in his Vongsense, moving slowly. From the sense of security radiating off of her, he guessed she was holding a ball.

Which meant that just about anybody else wasn't.

He basically picked a side and started swimming.

"Aww, squill!" it was Jaina.

"The point is supposed to be stealth, Jaina." Mara's voice was wry.

"Stealth ain't worth didly-squat at the moment." Jaina called back, hopping away from her brother as fast as she could. "I'd like to propose a no-tag-back rule."

Her mother, aunt, and brother laughed. "Nope." It was Leia.

Jacen thought she had stopped moving, so he slowed. The pool room was suddenly quiet. Too quiet.

Jaina had to be only a few feet away, but usually the others tried to distract the hunt4er when he got too close, unless...

He whirled suddenly and caught the ball flying through the air towards him.

"huh-uh!" Jaina's disbelief was apparent in her voice. "No way could you've done that without cheating."

Jacen shook his head, smiling. "Sorry, sis, I wasn't."

Jaina was clearly skeptical. "Mom?"

"He was completely forceless." Leia shot a sympathetic look at Tahiri, who was slinking scowl-faced into the middle.

Jacen dodged her sloppy one-handed swing at him. "Now, now. We all know where vengeful spite leads."

Tahiri just make a face.

Jacen swam slowly to the edge of the pool where Tenel Ka and Keil were sitting.

"You look a little lonely over here." He teased, tweaking Keil's toes.

"We are just fine, thank you." Tenel Ka assured him calmly, her lips twisting into a sardonic smirk. "It is you that appears to be alone."

"I wouldn't be if you got in." he pointed out.

"No, you would not." Tenel Ka agreed. "Neither would you be if you rejoined the game."

"Well," Jacen shrugged, "I just don't feel like creaming anyone tonight."

"Jacen Solo," Tenel Ka shook her head in what could've been amazement, "your pride has grown exponentially."

Jacen grinned. "Maybe." His face became pleading. "Get in?"

"I believe we shall pass." She smoothed Keil's hair again, though it did little to detangle the mass of unruly curls.

Jacen shook his head, almost in resignation. "Can't have that." He reached out and took Keil.

"What are you doing?" Tenel Ka asked incredulously.

Jacen climbed out of the pool, handed Keil to his mother, and continued walking toward Tenel Ka. "Taking away your shield."

The reaction would've been barely unnoticeable to anyone else, but Jacen saw her eyes widen appreciatively. "Jacen, I do not think that would be wise..."

Jacen thoroughly ignored her and picked her up.

"Jacen solo, you will release me this instant!" it was the most outrage he'd ever heard her allow in her voice.

He walked down three steps into the pool, and most because he didn't think he could hold onto her any longer, dropped her into the water.

Though the water was fairly shallow, it was deep enough that every inch of her was now soaked.

Her eyes flashed, and Jacen began to wonder about the wisdom of his actions.

"Oh, no, Jacen Solo." She pushed herself to her feet, "do not walk away." She stormed up the steps behind him, quickening her pace to chase him. "You simply cannot pick one up and dump her into a pool and expect to get away with it."

Jacen suddenly changed tactics, turning to face her.

"And why not?" he grinned, catching both of her hands in one of his.

Tenel Ka apparently deciding not to deign to speak simply attempted to jerk away.

Jacen chuckled as she struggled vainly.

Tenel Ka's head shot up, her eyes wide with astonishment. She smacked his chest. "Do not mock me!"

Jacen laughed again, fading away from her repeated blows. He caught her up in his arms and spun around, grinning at her wide eyes.

Then she did something that made him stop spinning just to hear the sound.

She laughed.

Jacen stared at her in pure surprise.

Tenel Ka looked back up at him, her face having reverted to its normal stoic expression, but her eyes sparkling brightly.

The urge to kiss her was so sudden, Jacen nearly dropped her.

As it was, he set her down a fair amount more quickly than he meant to.

Tenel Ka backed away from him, barely masked confusion in her eyes.

"Sieren!"

The little girl looked up quickly, surprised at the harsh tone.

"Let's go. It's time for bed." Jacen took Keil from his mother as his daughter scrambled out of the water and followed him out the door.


	17. Chapter Seventeen: The Betrayal

Pale sunlight streamed in through the cut-stone windows, casting golden shadows on the smooth white walls.

Jaina Solo slipped quietly through the door to her quarters into the hallway.

She looked around with a smile, trying to remember if she'd ever seen the Academy this early in the morning.

Two robed Masters she didn't recognize passed her, too engrossed in their hushed conversation to even notice her.

It was just the way she liked it.

She could remember racing through these halls when she was younger, dodging younger students and older mentors in an attempt to escape Jacen and Zekk.

She imagined her uncle still shuddered at the memory of the terrors they had all been.

She laughed quietly her thoughts causing her unconsciously reach out, sensing her groggy brother across the Academy, in the wing of family housing, mentally griping about the time of the morning.

She knew Zekk was somewhere in the far-rim region, on Academy business, probably making a greater name for all the Jedi.

She scowled darkly when another life-signature crept into her awareness, and tried vainly to shove it away.

She turned and shot an angry glare over her shoulder, though she knew there was nothing there.

_Don't you dare try to follow me. _The mental words dripped with barely-checked fury.

Her reflective mood ruined, Jaina quickened her pace to the small hangar off the south wing of the temple.

As she entered the hangar, she paused, looking around, simply soaking up the sight.

Their three fighters sat in a stiff block, looking insignificant next to the _Falcon_ and the _Jade's Shadow._

For a moment, Jaina considered taking either of the two freighters up instead of her x-wing, but the thought of the look on the respective owners' faces was enough to deter her.

Besides the fact that she wanted solitude.

"Cappie?" she looked around the shadowy hangar for her little astromech.

The diminutive droid whistled cheerfully from somewhere behind her.

Jaina turned with a smile. "Whatchya doin' up there?" she called to where he sat in the socket on the back of her fighter.

The little astromech whistled back a lengthy answer.

"Oh. Ok." Jaina replied vaguely, having no universal idea what he had said. "Aren't you a little cramped up there?"

All she could tell this time was that his answer was affirmative.

"Ok, well, run the pre-flight checkup, will ya?" she ducked under the bell of the x-wing to check the coolant fluid. She frowned and turned to the filling lines. "I swear I just refilled this stupid thing." She grumbled, hooking the line to the tank valve.

Cappie whistled inquisitively as the x-wing began to hum.

"No" Jaina replied, eyeing the fuel gauge before grinning. "I just felt like going up into orbit. It's quiet up there." She tapped the coolant gauge, before peering at it and unhooking the umbilical. "You about done?"

Something about the droids tone bothered her, but it sounded positive.

"Good!" Jaina cleared the repulsorlift blocks and hopped on the x-wing's ladder. "Let's go, then."

Cappie was already raising the hatch.

Jaina paused half-way up the ladder, a strange sense of foreboding suddenly grasping her. She looked around the hangar for a sign of something out of place.

There was nothing.

She finally shrugged and finished climbing the ladder, dropping into her seat and pulling on her helmet as the hatch closed over her.

"As soon as we get up into orbit, you can power down, Cappie." Jaina said into her helmet, flipping the throttle to auxiliary and keying the engine startup.

Nothing happened.

"Oh, squill." Jaina groaned, smacking one fist on the control board. "I must not've turned the power shunt off. Can you pop the canopy, Cappie?" she pulled off her helmet and undid her crash webbing.

The canopy remained closed.

"Cappie?" Jaina jerked the helmet mike out of its jack to talk directly into the speaker phone. "Open the hatch."

NO. The word appeared on her tactical display.

"What?" Jaina frowned.

THE ANSWER IS NO, JEEDAAI.

"Knock it off, Cappie." Jaina said angrily. "That's not even funny."

STOP! DO NOT SPEAK TO YOUR ABOMINATION! DO YOU THINK A MINDLESS MACHINE HAS THE ABILITY TO DEFY YOU?

Jaina chilled, doing her best to ward off the fear beating at her defenses. She turned around in her cramped seat to find the manual hatch release.

It was gone, a dripping white image in its place.

Yun-Yaamka.


	18. Chapter Eighteen: Faithful Friends

Jacen sighed, rubbing the back of his head as he stirred his coffeine.

It was simply too early to be up.

Then again, any time of the morning would've been too early with the night he'd had.

With the combination of Keil's midnight screaming and his own all-too-vivid dreams, it was a wonder he had gotten any sleep at all.

There were times he wondered if it wouldn't just be more worth his time to chunk it all and head into politics.

Then again, Master Yoda's life as a hermit on Dagobah was looking more and more appealing every day.

He sighed again.

"That's a happy face if I ever saw one."

Jacen jumped and turned.

Tahiri was leaning against the door, smirking. "Don't tell me you're having happy thoughts, too."

" 'Fraid you're going to be disappointed there." Jacen said dryly, setting his coffeine mug on the kitchen counter.

Tahiri raised one eyebrow. "Keil had a bad night?"

Jacen nodded. "He did. Woke up crying about midnight." He shook his head. "I knew I shouldn't have let him sleep so long yesterday. But no, actually," he grimaced, "mostly it was the dreams."

Tahiri became serious. "The same ones coming back?" her voice was sympathetic.

"Among other ones." Jacen admitted vaguely, sipping his caffeine again.

In one of her rare moments of reflection and thought, Tahiri allowed the silence to hang in the air for a moment.

"What happened last night?" she asked quietly, walking into the kitchenette to pour herself a cup of caffeine.

"Last night?" Jacen echoed.

"yeah." Tahiri reached for the sugar bowl. "At the pool."

"You mean the Matzi game?" Jacen asked carefully.

"No." she leaned back against the counter. "I mean after you left the Matzi game and started your own fun." She raised one eyebrow pointedly.

"oh." Jacen couldn't think of anything else to say.

Once again, Tahiri was uncharacteristically quiet for a few minutes.

"So," she broke back in finally, "are you going to tell me about it or," she shuddered, "am I going to have to pry it out of Tenel Ka?"

"What?!" Jacen winced inwardly at the terrified shock in his voice, knowing his eyes had to be wide. "Why?! Nothing happened!"

Tahiri sighed almost wearily, stirring another spoonful of sugar into her cup. "Jacen, something happened last night, and you were both shouting it."

Jacen sighed and dropped his head into his hands. "Great. And you're only the first in a whole long line of inquisitors."

Tahiri smiled and shook her head. "Nah. Your uncle's too worried about your aunt, your sister's too consumed with avoiding her former master, and your mom's too sensitive to say anything." She grinned. "That only leaves Aunt Mara."

Jacen groaned. "That's supposed to make me feel better?"

Tahiri laughed. "Well, in truth, I think Mara's a little occupied at the moment."

Jacen shook his head in disagreement. "Pregnancy never has never, nor will ever inhibit Aunt Mara in the least."

"Actually," Tahiri amended, "I meant she was too busy looking for the candy your uncle hid from her."

Jacen had to chuckle. "I think he gets smarter every day."

Tahiri laughed with him.

"You know what?" Jacen asked suddenly. "I think you deserve a prize: Most Annoying But Faithful Friend of the year award." He smiled at her.

Tahiri grinned back. "That's most annoying, irritating and faithfully pestering friend, and you know what I think?" she picked up her mug and moved to the door.

Jacen shook his head with a smile.

Tahiri turned, smiling as she held the door open. "I think there's someone who lives upstairs that you need to talk to, and I think you need to do it soon, because she won't be there forever, and I think," she became completely serious, "that if you will stop trying to save the galaxy for one kriffin' moment, you'll realize there's no way even you can fool yourself into thinking you don't love her."


	19. Chapter Nineteen: Visions of the End

Jaina sobbed, the tears streaming down her face mingling with the sweat on her cheeks.

"Let me out!" she cried, beating her fists on the transparasteel hatch. "Cappie, please!"

She was exhausted, sweat dripping from her forehead, her palms bloody from attacking the unyielding canopy.

When the NRDA had approved the X-J3 x-wings, one of the leading factors had been the pressure seal around the cockpit/canopy joint, rendering it completely airtight, an important factor in space, but death in her present situation.

No amount of her desperate banging was going to change that.

Her commlink was gone, probably still resting on her night table, beside her lightsaber. Her energy was rapidly waning, along with the breathable air.

The power shunt was still operational, but that wasn't what kept her from getting the life-support system online.

Cappie, or whatever Yuuzhan Vong personality he was now, had disabled the central computer.

All her fighter was now was an impenetrable vacuum.

A perfectly encased tomb.

Dark spots danced in her vision as she sat back in her seat, feeling utterly defeated.

The air felt so stiff, so heavy, she wondered if maybe she'd already run out of oxygen.

She had tried to reach out to Jacen, to Luke, to anybody.

In the end, it was just like everything else she'd tried.

Useless.

She sobbed again, clutching her knees to her chest. She swiped away the tears, but the blur remained, turning the randomly-blinking lights on the control panel into the flickering candles of the Liberation Day Memorial.

She closed her eyes and rested her forehead on her drawn up knees, knowing it was almost over.

Only a few minutes of hypoxia-induced unconsciousness, and she'd have irreparable brain damage.

Over.

Without a single goodbye.

She waited for the calm certainty of it to wash over, but the peace she had almost expected was as elusive as the Force.

It really was over this time. There would be no more chances.

It was almost funny the way it was so different from what she'd always imagined.

No blaring alarms or frantic scrambling to her fighter. No split-second profound understandings. No last rush of adrenaline, no final blaze of glory.

Jaina Solo was going to die quietly and alone.

All because she'd been so stupid.

She could see Jacen, picture the tears streaming down his face as he held Keil; her mother, grieving quietly as she knelt beside the memorial and placed a lit candle into the water once more; her father, trying to maintain his outward stoic composure, even as he wept openly; her aunt, eyes hard as she quieted the infant in her arms. Her uncle as he tried to find the reason in her death. Kyp, eyes full of hopelessness as he walked down a dark street.

"I'm sorry." She whispered in the quiet air.

Only the silence echoed around her as her vision faded to black.


	20. Chapter Twenty

Kyp Durron knew the moment he woke up that something was wrong.

He sat up in bed, trying to pinpoint the nagging dread.

It was elusive, attacking him in swells, then fading until it was little more than a lingering sense of dread.

He stood and grabbed the charcoal grey tunic off the chair that sat beside his bed, pulling it over his head as he staggered to the kitchen to turn the caffeine pot on.

The small orange light on the bottom of the pot came on to tell him it was working.

Kyp just stared at it for a moment, blinking sleepily as he attempted to wake up. He ran a hand over his face, wincing at the rough stubble. If he didn't shave soon, he was going to end up looking like Jacen Solo had after his surprise return from Yuuzhanat'ar.

He yawned widely and pulled a mug out of the cabinet. He set it on the kitchenette counter and glanced at the chronometer.

0700.

He scowled and rubbed his eyes again, wanting only to fall back in bed and sleep until noon.

The caffeine pot beeped, telling him it was done.

He pushed away from the counter and pulled the kettle off the hot plate under it, grabbing his mug and pouring the steaming liquid into it.

He turned and walked to the refrigerator unit to get cream.

He suddenly froze as if he'd walked into a force field, the caffeine mug slipping through his fingers and shattering on the floor.

He stood still for a moment, gasping for breath, something inside of him screaming as he fought the terror and despair clawing at his insides.

He never remembered grabbing his lightsaber or pulling the door open, but somehow, he ended up running down the hall, his extinguished blade in his hands. He wasn't sure how he knew where to go, but it was like something was dragging him by a hook buried deep in his chest.

"Jaina!" he yelled, shoving the hangar door open and running to her x-wing.

He could feel her weakly try to reach out to him, the raw fear gnawing frantically for a way out of him turning into relief so deep it almost brought tears to his eyes.

_I thought I told you not to follow me, Durron._ His heart raced at how weak the words were as he grabbed a fusion cutter and a crowbar.

_Yeah, well,_ he attempted to keep the fear out of the scoffing,_ you oughta know by now, Goddess, that I don't take orders very well._

She made no reply, and he could feel her fading even more.

He beat at the side pane of the canopy with the crowbar, desperation fueling him.

"Don't give up, Jaina!" he shouted at her as he continued to swing at the hatch. It worried him that as soon as the pane gave way, there was nothing keeping him from hitting her head.

It didn't matter. He could feel her slipping away.

"No!" he smacked he transparasteel with his open palm. "Wake up and look at me! Don't you dare quit on my watch!" he finally called his lightsaber to his hand, knowing grimly the risk in plunging the blade through the glass.

When faced with her eminent death, he knew it was one he had to take.

He jammed the tip through the canopy where the transparasteel met the durasteel frame and twisted the handle, dragging the blade around the frame in a glowing arc.

The molten piece of transparasteel fell inward, a billow of smoke blowing through the gaping hole.

Kyp leaned into the overheated cockpit and gently lifted Jaina out, dusting shards of oxide-coated glass off of her.

"Jaina, he held her close, pushing a damp strand of hair out of her face. "Come on, sweetheart, wake up and slap me or something."

He already knew it was going to take a lot more than his begging to bring her back.

For the first time in his life, Kyp Durron found himself praying for a miracle.

She was no longer breathing.


	21. Chapter TwentyOne: Resurrections, Reliza...

"Can't catch me!"

"Can too!"

"Hi, Master."

Jacen didn't even pause to wave at one of his younger students as he raced by the group of children playing in the hall, oblivious as to how they all stared after him.

_Jaina, Jaina, Jaina_. His sister's name range in his head, keeping time to his thudding heart.

Kam Solusar walked by him, herding a small cluster of crèche children, including his own daughter.

"Jati!" she exclaimed, waving and skipping towards him.

"Not now, Si." He kept running. "Stay with Master Solusar."

She stopped, confusion furrowing her brow.

Kam must've sensed that something was going on, because he took Sieren's hand and moved her down the hall, quickening the group's pace.

Jacen swung his hand, flinging a warning at his uncle that something was wrong.

His response was a flurry of questioning emotions from his uncle, mother, aunt, Kam, and Tahiri.

_I don't know._ He sent back, rounding the corner to the ship hangar where his sister's x-wing was, expecting to find it gone.

He stopped short when he saw it wasn't.

"No." he groaned, as if the word had been ripped from him, when he saw Kyp cradling her limp body against his chest. "Oh no."

"She's breathing." The other man rasped. "But we need to hurry."

Jacen ripped his eyes off his sister's still face and looked at Kyp, noticing for the first time the strain on his face. Jacen nodded, already thumbing his commlink on as he ran to open the heavy hangar door.

"I need a med team prepped." He said on the Academy's open channel. "Possible pulmonary arrest."

"We'll be ready when you arrive." The medic's bland voice crackled over the channel.

Jacen looked back at Kyp to see where he was.

He was amazed at how haggard the man looked.

"They're waiting for us." He said quickly.

"Good." Kyp replied simply, catching up with him. "Where is everybody?"

Jacen looked around, finally noticing that the halls were empty. "Kam must've been worried."

Kyp only grunted in reply, his eyes on the med center ahead. He glanced down at Jaina, then looked back up, catching Jacen's fearful gaze.

"She's still breathing." He said shortly, stumbling past Jacen toward the med center.

Jacen followed as two medics ran out to meet Kyp, talking quickly, but somehow managing to maintain the façade of calm.

Kyp said something wearily, shaking his head at something one of the medics said.

The other medic tried to take Jaina from him, but he shook his head adamantly and held her closer.

"Jacen!" Jacen turned and saw his mother running toward him, fear written across her face.

"Mom." He caught her in a hug.

Leia pulled away quickly. "Where's Jaina?"

Jacen turned and saw that Kyp and the medics were gone.

"Inside."

"How is she?" Han asked grimly, joining the group.

"Breathing." Jacen said simply.'

Leia left them, hurrying up the steps into the med center.

Without a word, Han and Jacen followed her.

"Is she going to be all right?" Leia questioned one of the medics working around Jaina's bed.

"We're doing everything we can." The medic assured her.

"Where's Cilghal?" Leia looked around for the Mon Calamari healer.

"On Zonoma Sekot." Jacen answered grimly.

"Outa my way, idiot!"

They all turned to see Mara shoving an orderly droid.

What's happened to her?" she demanded breathlessly, making it halfway across the room to Jaina's bed before one of the medics stopped her.

Leia looked at her sister-in-law, tears spilling onto her cheeks. "She's oxygen deprived." She whispered.

Mara turned her hard gaze to Jacen. "How? What happened?"

"I don't know. She'd already been out for a few minutes by the time I got there." He said dully, guilt stabbing at him for not being there sooner. "Thank the Force she's still breathing."

"Solo's pure obstinacy." Han remarked.

"No." Mara shook her head slowly, her eyes on her niece's still form. "It's Kyp."

Jacen lifted his eyes to where the older man stood over Jaina, his head bowed and eyes closed, his hand resting on her.

Jacen thought the Master looked even more tired than he felt himself.

"He's breathing for her."

Jacen covered his face with his hands, feeling every ounce of energy drain out of him; watching his mother cry, he felt a heavy weariness overwhelm him.

"Jacen."

Jacen knew without turning who it was.

Tenel Ka stood behind him silently.

Jacen just gazed at her wordlessly for a moment.

"Jaina…" he said finally, then found himself simply too tired to go on.

She stepped closer, laying one hand on his chest, and Jacen felt strength seeping back into his muscles, spreading outward from her fingertips.

Jacen's eyes fell shut and his forehead dropped to her shoulder, his chest heaving as he wept.

* * *

_Whoosh, beep. Whoosh, beep. Whoosh, beep._

The Academy's med center was silent but for the ventilator's pronounced whisper and the incessant beeping of the vitals monitor.

Kyp Durron sat in the same seat he had for the last six hours, watching Jaina.

Her chest rose and fell with the ventilator pump, the entire lower half of her face covered by an oxygen mask and traech tube.

In all his dreams, he had never imagined he would one day sit here begging for Jaina Solo's life.

She had always seemed invincible to him, the Sword that would never fall, never break.

He was finding out rather rapidly just how vulnerable people could be.

"Oh, Jay." He sighed, rubbing the back of her hand. "You give me more gray hairs every day, kiddo."

He could count on one hand the number of times she'd done anything that _hadn't_ scared him.

He'd thought he was going to have a heart attack every time she'd given him that grin, knowing she was about to do something stupid and rash.

It was different this time.

Never before had he been truly afraid. Never before had he actually wondered what he would do if she wouldn't be alive to make him laugh the next morning. Her ability to always beat the odds had seemed like indisputable fact to him, like that the sun would always rise.

Now he wondered, if Jaina never woke, if Yavin's star would indeed ever appear again.

He knew that if that day came, he would never again step foot on a planet within a radial quadrant of the Academy.

He picked her hand up in his, feeling her faint pulse in her fingertips. He watched her face for a moment, wishing she would smile at him.

He sighed and rested his forehead on the hand that was holding hers. "Guess I've been a little stupid, huh, Jay?"

He smiled wistfully, knowing that if she were awake, she'd be grinning.

_That would be a yes_. He pushed a stray lock of hair away from her face, combing it into the rest of the amber-brown waves fanned across the other side of her pillow.

_Ok_, he admitted, _so saying 'maybe I was stupid' was the understatement of the century._

He could almost picture her hands on her hips, eyes scolding him.

_Fine._ He mock-glared. _Millennium._

He closed his eyes and was assaulted with a barrage of memories.

"_Kyp!"_

_He turned and saw the three-year-old little girl running toward him, completely unaware of how the other Jedi stared mistrustfully at him._

Amazing how ironic it was, considering that it had now almost flip-flopped.

_She laughed, running as fast as she could to keep ahead of him._

_Kyp chased her, his 26-year-old legs eating up the ground behind her 12-year-old ones._

He smiled wistfully, wishing all the memories were happy.

_Smuggler's Run. Sernpidal. Myrkyrr._

"_I'll never help you again." Jaina's anger was radiating off of her. "You could be dying on Tatooine, and I wouldn't even spit on you."_

She'd been right. He deserved to rot for all the things he had done.

"_I thought when you asked to join my squadron, it meant you'd forgiven me. When I accepted, it meant I'd forgiven you. Did it mean that, or didn't it?" she watched him carefully._

"_It did." _

_She thought about that for a moment. "So are we still partners?"_

"_We are."_

Whatever that had meant, it hadn't been enough.

"_Get out of here, Durron." Her eyes flashed._

_He stared at her in astonishment, reaching out to steady her. "Jay, _

_what—˝_

"_Don't call me that." She snapped as he jerked away. "And don't touch me."_

_"Jaina, what wrong?!"_

_She swore loudly, spewing oaths he would have been ashamed to repeat. "Get out!"_

Kyp took a deep breath and blew it out, brushing his hand against her flushed cheek, her limp hand still in his.

The memory was a blatant reminder that regardless of how he felt about her, Jaina Solo hated him.

A medic came in then, smiling sympathetically at him as she changed the drip pack hanging over the monitor beside the bed.

She obviously didn't know his role in the Jedi's history.

"Don't worry." Her voice was kind. "She's responding well to the nuero reconstruction."

"She's so warm." Kyp's voice was rough from lack of use.

The medic finished rehooking the drip pack, turned, and lay one small hand on Jaina's forehead. She frowned and turned back to the vitals monitor and punched a few buttons.

"She is running a slight fever." The medic told him. "The problem is, because her brain was damaged, it's not regulating her body temperature very well. We've got her on cooled liquids to keep her temperature controlled."

"Thanks." Kyp managed a smile as the girl left the room.

He turned his head and looked back at Jaina, the flush already fading from her cheeks.

He lay her hand gently on the bed and stood slowly. He leaned down and kissed her forehead.

"Don't worry, sweetheart. I'll be back."

He smiled at her still face one last time and turned and walked out of the room.


	22. Chapter TwentyTwo: A Jedi and Peace

Jacen glanced around the small conference room the Council met in, somehow managing to absorb his surroundings through the thick fog that enveloped him.

His uncle, aunt, Kam, and Tionne were talking in hushed tones, expressions of concern on their faces.

Tahiri and Taan sat cross-legged side by side, their backs ram-rod straight against the wall, Taan's hands gesturing anxiously as they argued.

Jag looked a little out of place sitting at attention at the table in the corner.

Jacen felt sorry for him. In all the chaos at the Academy, he had been summarily forgotten.

"No." Luke shook his head, and Mara looked distinctly unhappy.

Jacen stood and walked over to join the group.

"I think we should." Kam insisted.

"I think we should send a couple of the Jedi to Eclipse." Tionne broke in quietly.

Both men turned to look at the silver-haired woman.

"I don't think it's that serious." It was Kam's turn to shake his head.

"You and Luke's not thinking this was serious is what brought us into this mess in the first place." Mara's voice was angry.

Luke winced.

"With all respect, Masters," Jacen interrupted, "I don't think this a minor threat."

Both men looked up frowning.

Jacen was relieved to see, however, that his aunt was nodding encouragingly.

"Go ahead and explain that, please, Jacen." She said calmly.

Jacen hated picking sides in these scuffles, but at least it was Aunt Mara's side he was on. "We've already decided that there's a great possibility that we're facing a new wave of Yuuzhan Vong." He planted both palms downward on the table. "Minor threat? My foot." He sent his piercing gaze at Kam. "And don't even start the stupid 'Jedi don't anticipate war' thing. That's a recipe for a grand massacre. This Jedi's going to anticipate a possible threat to his children and take preventative action. Period. No theories, no committees, no meditation."

Luke coughed, his message anything but subtle. "Thank you for your opinion, Jacen."

"Ri." Jacen called, "ai kerktergh aquhresh."

Tahiri looked up sharply, getting to her feet in one smooth motion.

"Dha?" she answered quickly, coming towards them.

"Tell Masters Skywalker and Solusar what you told me yesterday." Jacen switched back to Basic.

Tahiri's eyes shifted back and forth between Jacen and Luke. "I said there was a chance that this group of Yuuzhan Vong—and make no mistake, Masters, there isn't any way to have faked that video— are more of a threat than the last one was."

Kam frowned deeply. "How did you arrive at that conclusion?"

Tahiri was chewing on the inside of her lip thoughtfully. "Taan?" she turned around to face her friend. " Dorrikai kerghak?"

Taan was already walking toward them.

Tahiri rattled off a question in Yuuzhan Vong.

Taan nodded, answering rapidly.

Tahiri gestured toward the sitting Jedi Masters and said something.

Taan swiveled her luminescent silver gaze to look at Kam and Luke.

"What is it, Taan?" Luke asked patiently.

"Tahiri wants me to tell you about the Yuuzhan Vong Homewar." She said quietly.

Tionne cocked her head inquisitively. "Homewar?"

Taan nodded. "A civil war of sorts. One that caused us to begin looking for new places to settle."

"Go on." Luke prompted.

Taan blinked. "It started because a group of radicals claimed that the Overlords were being pacifists by not allowing us to follow the gods' commands to conquer. They gained many followers, especially among the younger generation that was eager for war. After the Overlords put down the rebellion, the dissidents were banished."

Luke thought for a moment, then looked at Tahiri. "You thought this has some relevance to the new attack?"

Tahiri nodded. "The holo showed the words on the walls. The dialect was slightly different than the dialects from any of the existing domains, and the yorrik coral dust was a different color. We thought at first it was from home— the Yuuzhan Vong galaxy— but the nutrients were so depleted there, there would've been no way to grow new ships so quickly."

"Tahiri speaks the truth." Taan's voice was nearly inaudible. "And we did not leave any warriors behind. Only the sick, elderly, and very young were commanded to remain on Yuuzhan'atar."

Luke sighed. "So what you're saying is that we're not facing the nice, peace-loving warriors, but the ones who like to rip people apart for the fun of it."

Taan nodded shortly. "In conclusion, more or less, yes."

"So the recent incidents are really the least of our current worries."

Everyone looked up at Jag, who had gotten tired of sitting, and had come over to join the discussion.

Tahiri nodded solemnly.

There was a loud bang as the heavy door swung open against the stone wall.

Kyp stalked in, carrying something in his hand.

"You want proof this was the Yuuzhan Vong's doing?" he demanded. "Here you go." He flung something down on the table.

The blood-red blob writhed on the durasteel table, its menacing maw opening to reveal multiple rows of needle teeth.

Tahiri jumped backward with a stifled scream.

Taan stared incredulously at it before looking back up at Kyp. "What is it?"

"I was hoping you could tell me." Kyp answered.

Taan shook her head. "I have never seen one of its kind before." She said slowly. "Where did you find it?"

"Pasted to the back of Jaina's x-wing." Kyp replied grimly.

"Well, I'm not sure it helps explain anything if none of us knows what it is." Kam said thoughtfully.

"Oh," Kyp laughed, "it explains a lot." He jerked his head at Jacen. "How does it feel to you?"

Jacen frowned. "If it's Yuuzhan Vong, it shouldn't exist in the Force."

"I didn't ask you to spout facts at me." Kyp's voice was harsh. "Just reach out and tell me how it feels."

Still frowning, Jacen did what the other man asked.

"The thing itself doesn't have any Force sense to it at all." Jacen said after a moment. "But," he admitted, "the air around it feels weird. Dead almost."

"Dead?" Luke echoed.

Jacen nodded. "Not quite dead; more like… dull. It feels odd to even reach out with the force at all, like it's trying to suck the energy out of me."

Kyp nodded. "Tahiri?"

The blonde shook her head. "Nothing. It Force-empty, yeah, so it's Yuuzhan Vong, but I'm not getting any of what Jacen is."

Again the Jedi Master nodded.

"I am not sure I understand what your point is, Master Durron." It was Jag's turn to speak.

"The point is it affects the Force somehow." He laughed bitterly. "Don't ask me how that's possible, since its Yuuzhan Vong."

Jag frowned. "If it is affecting the Force, would Jedi Veila not be bothered by it as well?"

Kyp nodded his conceding of the point. "It would be, except that it's attuned to a specific Force signature."

"Jaina." Mara said simply.

"Yeah."

"That's why Jacen felt it but Tahiri didn't." Kam clarified. "Jacen's signature is the close to Jaina's, and Tahiri's isn't."

"Which is why she never went into a hibernation trance. Why none of us ever felt her distress." Luke realized.

Mara swore under her breath, earning a brief glance from her husband.

"Great." Tahiri said darkly. "Just perfect."

* * *

.

"Hey, kid!"

Kyp Durron turned, feeling his muscles cry out in protest.

Han was striding purposefully down the hall toward him, almost bowling over one of the droids the Academy employed.

Kyp stopped and waited for the older man to catch up.

"Hi, Han." He said wearily.

"You sound like I feel." Han commiserated, draping one arm over Kyp's shoulders. He scanned the Jedi Master. "Look like it, too."

"Thanks." Kyp said dryly.

Han grinned briefly. "No problem."

Both men were silent for a few moments.

"How is she?" Han asked finally.

Kyp looked up at him. "You went to see her."

Han nodded. "I did, but I wanted to hear it from you."

Kyp sighed, unsure of what to say.

"It's ok, kid, I know it's bad." Han told him.

"Yeah." Kyp was quiet.

Han shook his head. "Can't say I ever imagined watching some machine breathe for my daughter."

Kyp swallowed and nodded.

"She'll be ok, though." Han's voice held forced cheerfulness.

"Yeah." Kyp couldn't find anything else to say.

"I just got back form talking with Jacen, Luke and Mara. They told me about the new Yuuzhan Vong thing."

Kyp waited.

"Actually," Han confessed, " they told Leia and I managed to pry it outa her."

Kyp smiled wanly.

"Anyway, I had a question for you."

"Shoot." Kyp blinked, forcing his heavy lids to open again.

"How did you know where she was when there was a Force-block or whatever? And don't lie to me, kid. I've had enough stress for one day."

Kyp stilled, his thoughts suddenly racing for an answer.

"I mean it. I want the truth." Han was serious.

Kyp sighed. "I didn't feel her in the Force."

"You just knew where she would be?" Han inferred.

"No." Kyp shook his head. "I'm not sure if I can explain it. It was early. Something woke me up, and knew she needed help."

"Nah, kid, now you're lying." Han said flatly.

Kyp stared at him incredulously.

"She didn't need help." Han corrected. "She needed you."


	23. Chapter TwentyThree

Jacen sighed as he keyed the security codes into the keypad. It seemed like this week had gone on forever.

He wondered if maybe the rest of his life was going to feel like that.

The door hissed open and he stumbled into his apartment, deep in thought.

His sister was in a coma. The very thought of it made him want to yell in frustration. How could he not have felt her crying out to him? How could he not have known something was wrong?

It didn't matter that some Yuuzhan Vong bio-engineered creature had created a Forceless barrier between them. That didn't make him feel any less responsible.

Jaina was his sister. His twin. They'd been able to sense each other without the Force since they were little. A little coral-sucking snake shouldn't have been able to change that.

He finally looked up from the floor as he took off his shoes.

Tenel Ka stood in the doorway to Keil's bedroom, watching him.

Jacen just looked at her for a moment, almost drawing strength from her calm stance.

"Hi." He said finally, offering a feeble smile. "The kids are in bed?"

Tenel Ka nodded, moving softly toward him.

"How is she?" she asked quietly.

Jacen inhaled and blew out his breath in one action. "The same. The medics have said the reconstruction process is going to take time, but every day she doesn't wake up…"

Tenel Ka allowed the unfinished thought to hang between them, her eyes staring unseeing at the front of Jacen's tunic.

"Hey." Jacen tipped her chin up with two fingers, offering a cock-eyed smile. "Thanks."

Tenel Ka blinked, unsure of what to say.

"I know this isn't at all how you planned to relax, but I'm glad you're here." His voice was soft. "I'm not sure how I would've done without you." He reached out and wrapped an arm around her.

Tenel Ka wasn't sure which surprised her more, the fact that Jacen was holding her, or the fact that she was allowing herself to lean against him.

Both of those abnormalities dimmed in comparison when she felt his tears soaking into her hair.

He was crying.

She could only ever remember him crying once before.

"Jacen?" she asked softly, pulling away enough to be able to see his face.

"I'm sorry." His voice was ragged. "I—"

Tenel Ka shook her head slowly to interrupt him, reaching up to brush away the tears on his face.

Jacen attempted a smile, his eyes glittering through more unshed tears.

After a moment of silence, Tenel Ka pulled away gently and moved toward the door.

"Jacen." She said as the door slid open.

Jacen turned to look at her.

"If you need me…" she let the sentence hang.

Jacen nodded. "I know."

His last thought before the door closed behind her was that somehow, the little green-eyed blonde that they often teased for being so clueless, knew more than she ought to.

* * *

. 

"Hey, kiddo." Kyp sat down in his chair again. "I brought a holodrama for us to watch."

His only reply was the rhythmic hiss of the ventilator.

"I went against my better judgment and got a pre-Rebellion one." He made a face. "The one with your favorite actress. It still fails my logic to understand how that woman could be Captain Cardboard's mother. Anyway, it's kinda funny, 'cause I think she might actually have been younger than you are now when they filmed this. Not to say that you're old in the least." He rushed to assure her.

She was still motionless.

"But we can wait on the holodrama." Kyp decided, sitting back in his chair. "I saw Jacen today." He said finally, picking up her limp hand. "He's really beating himself up about not being able to help you." He rubbed the back of her hand. "You know, I thought I might have trouble explaining to your dad how I kept you breathing on the way here, but to be honest," he grinned at her still face, "I don't think it even registered with him." He paused for a moment, then shuddered. "The only one I'm worried about now is your aunt."

"Speaking of your aunt," he went on, "your uncle is becoming more paranoid by the hour, convinced that something is going to go wrong somehow. And not that he thinks so unreasonably," he admitted, "your aunt's physical age does leave her at risk for complications, but you and I both know your aunt. I think it's unlikely she'd allow anything to go wrong. And to be completely forthright, I'm not sure Mara's as old as she claims she is." He grinned. "Ben is convinced that he's getting a baby sister, and your uncle whole heartedly agrees with him. Between you and me," he confided, whispering conspiratorially, "I think Luke just decided a baby girl would be less work." He snorted. "I know better. Sure, they're a lot easier to handle from the beginning until the time they're about three. Then it's all emotional stress and complete life-altering decisions made on the spur of the moment, under the inspiration of that gooey stuff you guys like to drink." He made a face. "And before you sit up and tell me I have no idea what I'm talking about, remember that I'm speaking with a voice of experience here."

"Tahiri's been busy." He continued. "She and Taan have worked out this security system that involves hollowed out stone blocks and black spray-tinted windows." He raised one eyebrow. "It all sounds obscenely complicated to me, but whatever. Your uncle, Kam, and Jacen are still arguing if it's a good idea to send the younger recruits to Eclipse." He shrugged. " I'd like to say I'm not going to get involved, but this once, I think Jacen actually knows what he's talking about." He snorted. "I know. Amazing isn't it?" he shook his head. "I never thought I'd agree with your brother on anything." He frowned. "Tenel Ka's still here, and I think maybe that's part of why all of Jacen's circuits are functioning correctly." In the silence, his words echoed in his mind, and he winced. "No, no, not like that. Nothing like that." He sighed and rolled his eyes. "Your brother's nothing if not slow on the uptake." He eyed her face carefully. "Never mind."

"Captain Got-his-pants-too-tight is the same as ever." Kyp tried, but even then he couldn't keep the scorn out of his voice. "To tell you the truth, I have no universal idea why your uncle wanted him to come with us. He hasn't done squat since we got here, and I almost feel sorry for the guy," he scowled, "almost, because he seems so lost."

Kyp ran his fingers through his hair. "You know, really, everyone seems a little lost right now. No one is quite sure what to do." He smiled. "You're probably in there having a great time just cackling away at our inability to function on our own."

He hung his head and brought her hand to his cheek. "We need you, Jay. Wake up."

Her fingers twitched.

Kyp's head shot up, his eyes wide.

Jaina's eyes were fluttering rapidly as the ventilator slowed down to allow her to breath on her own.

"Hey, baby." He whispered, leaning forward. "It's me. Wake up."

Jaina moaned softly, but her eyes remained closed.

Kyp unclipped his commlink from his belt and thumbed it on. "Han, I think you should come up to the medcenter."


	24. Chapter TwentyFour: Waking

"I want that ventilator on override!"

"O2 falling."

"EKG over 100 and rising."

"Get me that injection, now!"

"RR stats irregular."

"O2 still falling."

"She's panicking. Where's that sedative?!"

"Clear the room."

Kyp suddenly found himself being dragged from the room by a well-meaning orderly.

"I want the O2 pressure doubled now!"

"EKG, 120."

Kyp pressed his hand against the glass pane between him and the center of activity, the girl who only moments before had been eerily quiet.

"What's going on?"

Kyp turned, expecting to see either Han Solo or Mara Jade Skywalker come plowing through the med center door.

He never thought that the older smuggler would be beaten by his petite wife.

Han's age was finally catching up to him.

Leia's eyes were wide and alert as she took in her surroundings.

Han stumbled in after her, his chest heaving from the run.

Leia was barely breathing hard.

"What happened, Kyp?" she asked him her voice and face amazingly calm for the worry channeling through the Force.

"I wish I knew." Kyp stepped back from the window to allow her to see. "She was starting to wake up, and then all the alarms started going off."

"Mom! Dad!"

Kyp took advantage of the Solo's sudden preoccupiedness as Jacen came in, and turned back to Jaina.

The medics were still rushing about at a dizzying speed, shouting orders and calling out vital stats.

Jaina had gone still again, mostly from the heavy sedative Kyp had seen the head medic inject into Jaina's arm.

Amid all the flurry, she looked small and vulnerable.

"Hey, kid." Han's voice jerked him out of his reverie. "Did you call Luke?"

Kyp shook his head. "I figured it would be better to wait and find out what was going on first."

Jacen nodded approvingly.

Han frowned in thought. "I don't know about that, kid, but it's a good idea on one side; the last thing we need around here is Mara's hormones."

"Solo, you wouldn't know hormones if they smacked you upside the head." Mara stalked in, scowling furiously.

Han ducked as she tried to do just that.

Luke and Tahiri followed closely, each wearing an expression of extreme concern.

"Do you know what's going on?" Tahiri went to Jacen after a brief glance at Mara.

Jacen shook his head. "I'm just as clueless as you are."

"How is she?" Luke's voice was characteristically quiet as he subconsciously moved between his wife and brother-in-law.

Han shook his head slowly, his eyes on Jaina. "Ask him." He jerked his head at Kyp.

"Kyp?!" Mara stared at the younger Jedi Master.

"She was fine." Kyp was quiet. "I don't understand what happened."

"Hell's stars, you don't." Mara shot back. "What did you do to her?" she stepped forward, reaching for her lightsaber threateningly.

"Mara." Luke restrained her gently, talking softly into her ear.

Kyp didn't know what the Jedi Master was saying, but the distrustful glare slowly faded out of Mara's eyes.

"General Solo? May I speak to you and your wife?" the head medic came out into the main lobby, shutting the door to Jaina's room behind her.

Han nodded shortly. "Can't you just tell our whole family?" he swept hi hand through the air to indicate the other five people in the room.

The medic hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Why don't we go into the larger sitting area."

_Waiting room._ Han grimaced to himself. _Where they tell you the bad news, and then you wait._

The medic waited as they sat down.

"I don't want you to be alarmed by the situation that just occurred."

_They never do, even if by rights, you should be at a full-blown panic_. Han's mind was running on its own.

"We've had a slight setback—nothing to be too worried about—but we had to go ahead and put her back on the ventilator."

Han wasn't sure if the medic's words were supposed to add to his confusion, or if it was just him.

"Because of the nature of neuro reconstruction, patient's reentering consciousness often have semi-violent reactions."

"That's normal?" Tahiri was frowning.

"Unfortunately, yes. Not normal so much as common. Or at least," she amended, "not completely uncommon. The reconstructed areas tend to be extremely sensitive, even volatile at times. If anything about the patient's surroundings seems threatening or even different, their mind reacts instinctively, and it can sometimes send them into a panic attack."

"That's what happened to Jaina?" Luke asked.

The medic nodded. "It appears that way. We've given her a sedative to calm her down, but that should wear off quickly."

"And if the same thing happens again?" Jacen wanted to know.

"That's unlikely. Usually, one sedation period is enough time for the brain to adjust. I haven't ever seen a neuro patient react like that a second time."

Jacen nodded.

"It might help if a member of her family went in and talked to her while the sedative wore off. Don't let your worry show; just talk softly to her, and it should create an environment that she's comfortable with."

Leia looked at Jacen and nodded.

"I'll go in." he said quietly. "How long before the medication wears off?"

The medic thought for a moment. "No more than half an hour."

Jacen nodded and stood, heading for the room where his sister was.

The room was quiet when he opened the door, the audio on the vital monitor having been turned off.

"Hey, sis." He sat down. "You gave us a pretty good scare a minute ago." He smiled. "Don't worry, we forgive you. Just hurry up and wake up."

There was a brief flicker of her eyelids.

"It's ok. It's just me. Jacen." He had to grin at that. As if she didn't know the minute he walked into the room who he was.

"Ok, so I can be a dumb idiot sometimes." He admitted. "You already knew that."

Her fingers shifted.

"Yeah, when the medic said half an hour, I figured she was dealing with non-Jedi patients. Meaning you should be awake in…" he glanced at his chronometer, "about five minutes."

He looked around the room. "What's threatening about this room, Jaya?" he sniffed the air. "Oh. Yeah, you're right. That food doesn't smell too great."

Jaina mumbled something too low for him to hear.

"Hmm?" Jacen leaned in to hear it.

Jaina was silent.

"Ok, sis, I'll bet that was an insult, but I'll let it slide. By the way, Si said to tell you she beat you." He frowned lightly. "Whatever that means."

Jaina rolled over slowly, gripping the sheets with white-knuckled intensity.

"Honest, Jaya, it's just me." He smiled again.

Jaina began mumbling again, louder this time.

Jacen forced down the alarm creeping up on him. "Jaya."

Jaina's eyes were open.

"You're awake." Jacen grinned, leaning forward to hug her.

Jaina's eyes widened and she rolled away from him.

Jacen hoped the hurt and confusion he was feeling wasn't showing. "Jaina, what's wrong?"

Jaina's lips moved, but no sound came out.

"Heehhh…" She seemed to struggle with the words

Jacen frowned. "What, Jaina?"

Frustration and pure, unadulterated terror slammed into him through the twin bond.

She swallowed hard, her throat visibly constricting. She tried once again to form the words. When they finally came out, it was all Jacen could do to even understand them.

"Who are you?"

* * *

.

"Not one!" Han turned and slammed his fist into the wall behind him. "She doesn't recognize one of us."

"Han." Leia's voice was pained.

"Heck, she doesn't even remember her own name!" he whirled, looking for something breakable to throw across the room.

"Han, please. Stop."

He did, but it was more from the fact that his knuckles were bruised and bleeding, than his wife's pleading voice.

"What happened?" he demanded, desperately hoping his wife would have some answers.

"I think we would all like to know that." Leia's voice was soft.

Luke pushed the door open softly just then, his face a mask of sorrow and concern.

"I'm going to take Mara home. Comm me if there's any change."

"Skywalker, you must have some pretty inflated views of your own strength if you think you're taking me anywhere." Mara pushed by him, her stoic expression barely hiding the weariness she was feeling.

Luke looked at her. "Mar, you promised."

"Hell's stars, Luke, even I break my promises sometimes!" she cried, her frustration finally coming through the façade.

Luke sighed. "I know."

"If you will all please sit down, I will try to answer your questions." The medic breezed into the room.

"Thank you," Han retorted, "but I prefer to take the bad news standing up."

"Med center policy." The medic snapped. "Sit down. You'll think more rationally."

Han muttered something darkly, but sat down.

"Thank you." The medic said blandly. "Ask any questions you have- one at a time-" she shot a look at Han, "and I'll try my best to answer."

"What happened?" Luke blurted out, uncharacteristically abruptly.

The medic hesitated for a moment, as if organizing her thoughts. "First, let me go over some basic points about neuro reconstruction. One, it's never even guaranteed to work."

"Then why is it so often used?" Han demanded.

Somehow, the medic managed not to glare. "Because it _usually _does work. Modern science has made is considerable easier to reconstruct damaged parts of the cerebrum, but it's still not child's play."

"You said 'usually'." Mara noted. "Are you saying it doesn't always?"

The medic paused for a moment. "I'll be brutally honest. Neuro reconstruction almost always entails some minor memory loss, or a slight personality change."

"No wonder Mara changed her mind about Luke." Han took a stab at humor.

It failed miserably, considering all the dark looks that he received.

"However," the medic went on, "I haven't ever seen a reaction like this."

"Never?" Leia echoed.

The medic shook her head. "I've read about somewhat similar cases, but… not in any recent history. In the genesis of reconstruction, it was a little more common. Now, with modern methods, it rarely happens."

"Why is that?" Luke questioned.

The medic shrugged. "We've gotten better at it. There's a threshold of survival rate, sure. But it's pretty high."

"Ok. Now that you've effectively covered the collective behinds of all medical personnel this side of Chandrila," Mara was sarcastic, "how 'bout explaining why it didn't work for Jaina?"

The medic sighed. "To be perfectly blunt with you, I have no galactic idea. You see, the threshold is caused by a vicious cycle of sorts. Brain damage is usually caused by either a point of impact, or in this case, hypoxia. Once enough damage is sustained, the brain no longer has the faculty to command breathing, causing further damage, and so on."

"I don't understand how that's relevant to Jaina." Jacen spoke for the first time, frowning.

"The point is," the medic turned to face him, "your sister was beyond that threshold."


	25. Chapter TwentyFive

Kyp sighed deeply, steeling himself for what he knew was going to be a long ride.

With a final deep breath, he pushed the door to Jaina's room open.

She was sitting in the middle of her bed, her eyes dull as she wrung her hands.

"Hi." Kyp smiled as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

Jaina's forehead crinkled as she tried to form the words.

Kyp waited, hoping his shields were up.

"Hi." The word was slow and garbled. "Who are you?"

"I'm Kyp. Who are you?" it sounded incredibly stupid coming out of his mouth, but it was the first thing that came to his mind.

"Mmmm-my name's Raina." She finally managed, still twisting the bed sheet between her hands.

_Jaina_. He almost corrected her, but decided to let it go. She'd been overwhelmed enough for one day. What did one little mistake matter up against what she was going through?

Her face was scrunching up again. "Wha' are you here?"

Kyp could've closed his eyes and been transported back sixteen years, when she'd lost her first tooth. The lisp was almost identical.

"Actually," he was suddenly glad he'd been cleaning out the store room only moments before, "I was looking for someone to play BlackAngel with." He gestured at the game system box under his arm. "Do you want to play?"

Jaina frowned intensely. "Ahhh... _I,_" she corrected herself, "d-" she drew the sound out, "don't know. I nnn-never played it before."

It was on the tip of Kyp's tongue to tell her it had been her favorite game since she was old enough to hold the controls by herself.

"That's ok." He shrugged instead. "I'll teach you." _Again._

Jaina attempted a shrug. " 'K."

Kyp set the box down, hoping all the components were still there, after it had been sitting in a musty room for almost three years.

Since she'd told him she never wanted to see him again.

" Nnnn-n'un else?" Jaina asked as he opened the box.

"What?" Kyp tried to keep his voice light as he pulled the transmitter cable out of the box and hooked it up to the holovision set.

"N'un else. To ww-work with."

Kyp looked up to find her scowling in frustration.

"What?" he asked gently.

She shook her head and shrugged with one arm. "Nah' right. Pppp..." she frowned when the sound didn't come. "Ppppp..."

Kyp wanted to help her, but something told him that wouldn't decrease her frustration any.

"Play." She finally got the word.

Kyp continued hooking the system up to the holovision. "I don't know. I didn't exactly take a poll in the hallway.

The right side of Jaina's face lifted in an unbalanced smile.

"Ok." Kyp plugged the controls into the system and unwound the cable. "Here's how you hold it." He put the duraplast panel in her hands and showed her the buttons. "This is how you jump." He pressed it for her to show her. "And this is how you shoot." He guided her finger to the trigger. "And you move around with this little thing." He thumbed the small joystick in the middle of the panel.

She frowned, obviously confused. "Shoot? At you?"

Kyp chuckled. "People have tried that before, but no, not with that. Just watch the screen." He turned and pressed the power command on the system.

Jaina's eyes widened when the holovision came on with a blast of cantina-style music.

Kyp rubbed his ears. "I thought I had turned that down." He muttered.

Jaina's lips were moving as she stared enthralled at the screen, but no words were coming out.

Kyp reached over to his control and pushed start.

Jaina laughed when a small, unidentified fuzzy creature popped up onto the screen, chattering as it ran-hop-skipped away.

"Ss-shoot that?" she asked finally.

Kyp almost laughed out loud. She'd asked the same thing when she was three.

"No." he shook his head with a smile. "Don't shoot at that. Watch." He pressed another button on his control set and the screen darkened for a moment.

"Shoot them." he told her, nodding to the dark caped figures now on the screen.

"Nn-no problem." She managed, moving the control panel itself subconsciously as she tried to catch the evil looking creatures with her scope.

Kyp spun his joystick and got the yellow-eyed shadow that was running up behind her game piece.

He started to turn his own piece back around to catch the other villain to his right, but it exploded in a graphic cartoon of gore before he was even completely turned.

He looked at Jaina to find her eyes still wide.

"Cool." Was all she said.

This time, Kyp did laugh.

Jaina looked at him, smiling self-consciously. "Do you play this a lot?"

Kyp shook his head. "I used to, but not anymore."

"Why nn-not?" she questioned slowly. "You ddd-don't like it?"

"No." Kyp shook his head. "I like it. I just don't."

"Oh."

Kyp could see she didn't think his answer was enough.

"I used to play with a friend of mine, but she doesn't like me anymore." He explained quietly.

"Sss-sorry." She was wringing the sheet again.

"It's ok." Kyp assured her. "It's still fun."

" 'K."

Kyp shot the last shadow and turned to her. "Think you're ready for the next level?"

"Ss-sure." She picked up her control panel as he changed the setting and peered at the translucent duraplast covering.

"Ss-so I can't ss-shoot you?" her slurred words sounded almost disappointed.

Kyp laughed. "No, you can't shoot me, but you could shoot my game piece."

"Really?" the word was surprisingly clear as her game piece spun and fired.

Nothing happened.

"But it won't do anything." Kyp finished, grinning.

The glare she sent his way was so Jaina that he almost forgot she wasn't the same.

Kyp grinned. "Sorry."

Jaina nodded to the paused game screen. "Play."

Kyp pressed the start button to resume the game.

He grinned at how quickly Jaina started jerking her control set around to match her movements of the joystick.

"Get him!" Kyp exclaimed, shooting to no avail at one of the hooded shadows coming at him.

Jaina was depressing the trigger as fast as she could. "Die!" she yelled at the obstinate villain.

The menacing shadow finally disappeared in a puff of black-green smoke.

"Good job." Kyp complimented.

The self-conscious half smile was back. "Than's"

"Miss Solo?" a medic shoved the door open and waltzed in. "It's meal time." She looked at Kyp. "I'm sorry, sir, but visiting hours are over."

Kyp stood. "Sure thing." He waved briefly at Jaina. "I'll just leave the game here." He waited until the medic's back was turned. "Maybe Miss Bossy-pants will play with you." He whispered.

Jaina grinned. " 'K"

Kyp smiled back as he left the room, wondering to himself how long it would take before she even remembered her own name.

And how much she hated him.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Coming up on reentry." Jag said, monotone.

"Praise all things sacrilegious." Tahiri said sarcastically. "I thought I'd never get out of this seat."

Jag eyed her oddly.

Tahiri chose to ignore it.

"Out of plain curiosity, do you use strange comparisons often?" he reached over to fiddle with the controls.

Tahiri scowled. "What, you're susceptible to the flaw of curiosity, too?"

"If curiosity is a flaw, then yes." Jag's voice was mild.

"Fine. And I'm totally guilty of creating my own invectives." She narrowed her eyes. "None of which are pretty."

"I'm sure."

Tahiri sighed. "How long, again?"

"About fifteen standard minutes, but I never said so in the first place."

"whatever." She frowned again. "I just want to go back home."

"Once again, that's probably a given."

Tahiri glared. "I cannot believe there is someone in this world more annoyingly stiff than Tenel Ka." She muttered.

Jag – wisely -chose to remain silent.

"You know," Tahiri took advantage of the moment of free talking space, "I think it's funny how everyone says 'standard time' when no one uses anything but standard time anymore."

"Valid point." Jag admitted, somewhat begrudgingly.

"How much longer?"

She could've sworn she saw Jag roll his eyes. "Now only eleven minutes."

"So we have to get in, check Eclipse out, make any final preparations, and then we can get the heck out of here." Tahiri mused.

"In that general order, yes." Jag agreed.

Tahiri took a deep breath and blew it out, still scowling.

"I wonder how Major Solo's health is faring." Jag wondered aloud.

Tahiri sighed. "Your guess is a good as mine, unfortunately. Last thing I heard was when Jacen called two days ago."

Jag nodded. "It sounded worse than we thought."

"Now if that wasn't the understatement of the universe's history, then I don't know what is." Tahiri shot at him.

Jag silently adjusted another control.

"Sorry." Tahiri apologized. "I didn't mean to yell at you."

"No permanent harm caused." Jag replied stiffly.

Tahiri stood. "Call me when it's two minutes to reentry." She called over her shoulder as the cockpit door slid open.

"That's only about eight minutes from now." Jag frowned.

"Right. Plenty of time to catch up on some sleep."


	26. Chapter TwentySix

"Hi." Kyp was surprised to find Jaina sitting up in bed, reading when he came in. "What's that?"

She made a face. "J-just a really b-boring novel."

Kyp laughed. "Ok. How 'bout a holodrama?"

"Ok." She grinned. "What, did no one want to watch with you?"

Kyp laughed. "I think I've just been insulted."

She smiled. "Well. N-not really. J-just wondering why you're here."

Kyp effected hurt. "I can't enjoy a pretty lady's company without a reason?"

Jaina laughed, blushing lightly. "Ok."

"You know, you're even prettier when you do that." He mused aloud.

Jaina blushed harder.

"Ok." Kyp let it go. "Which drama should we watch?"

Jaina shrugged.

"Aw, come on, Rain. Pick already."

_Rain? Where in all the Correllian Nine Hells did that come from?_ He frowned.

She seemed not to care about the nickname. "Fine. The one with the p-pink case." She pointed.

"Red." Kyp corrected. "I would never watch anything stored in a pink case."

"Ok, then." Jaina laughed.

"Ok, _Red Rose Dying_ it is."

Jaina made a face. "S-sounds like a s-sappy movie."

"Hey, you picked it." Kyp held up his hands in surrender.

"Yeah, only after y-you told me to." Jaina laughed.

"Ok, so pick again."

"Nah. You s-sound like you really want a different one, so we'll watch that one."

Kyp sighed sufferably. "Fine." He popped the drama into the reader and pushed the play control.

Neither of them knew they were being watched.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tahiri swore loudly and threw the wrench in her hand at the fried atmosphere controls mounted on the durasteel plated ice bulkhead.

Whether by wisdom, or simply training, Jag remained silent, though he was wondering if the blonde in front of him wasn't indeed somehow blood-related to Han Solo.

"This one's bad, too." Tahiri told him, turning, her EV suit rustling quietly in the near-vacuum.

"I gathered that." Jag replied simply.

"Uncle Luke is so not going to be happy." She muttered, subconsciously reaching her gloved hand up to her faceplate to try to brush away a stray blonde curl.

"So don't tell him." Jag suggested.

Tahiri stared at him for a moment. "You really don't know much about the Jedi, do you?"

Jag blinked. "Apparently not."

"Right. Well, there is no universal way to keep anything from Luke Skywalker, 'less maybe you're Kyp Durron." She snorted. "Which, praise Yun-Yethna, I am not."

"Yun-Yethna?" Jag couldn't help asking.

Tahiri twirled the tool in her hand uncomfortably. "The Yuuzhan Vong god of Blasphemy. Jealous brother of Yun-Yuuzhan that's supposedly the cause of all evil." She shrugged. "Sorry. It just sorta… appears sometimes."

"It's fine." Jag assured her, packing the tools lying on the floor into their carrying container. "I was simply curious."

Tahiri nodded, obviously eager for the conversation to be over. "All right. Let's get all this stuff back on the ship and go home."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------.

"You're kidding, right?" Luke intoned disbelievingly at the comm.

"Umm. Nope, not really." Tahiri answered, wincing visibly onscreen.

Luke sighed. "Those modulators were not cheap. They're all bad?"

Tahiri's image nodded. "Yep. Something about Eclipse's proximity to the Maw. Demagnetizes stuff real quick."

"Great. So we either have to find eight hundred functional EV suits in assorted sizes, or replace eleven ion-powered atmospheric modulators."

"Something like that." Tahiri agreed. "On the off hand, I'd say don't even bother with the EV suits idea, but considering that ion powered anything is uncommon these days… either options is going to attract a lot of attention."

"Which is the last thing we want." Luke grimaced. "Can't you and Taan just come up with some creature that'll do the same thing and keep itself healthy as long as we feed it rocks?" he joked.

An odd expression shuttered across Tahiri's face briefly. "I don't think so. Better call Lando or somebody. Actually, doesn't Karrde owe you a major favor?"

"Three times over." Luke agreed dryly. "However, business with Karrde has been… civil… since I took his favorite coworker." He had completely missed her earlier pained expression. "Are you on your way home?"

"Yep. Should be there in a couple of days."

"Karrde will listen to me." A voice out of visual range purred. "But you'd better hurry." Mara leaned over Luke's shoulder, smiling at the holoscreen. "This baby's extremely impatient, and I wouldn't be surprised if she decided to crawl out on her own while you're gone."

Luke groaned. "Please, Mar, don't even joke about such things."

Mara turned her amused gaze on him. "Who ever said I was joking?"

Tahiri grinned, at ease once again. " I hear you. Maybe I'll sacrifice Colonel Fel's half of the life support system and boost the hyperdrive."

Mara went off into gales of laughter, something she was lately prone to doing.

"Wouldn't really suggest it, hon." Luke smiled. "The last thing we want is to have to decide where to hide a body while we're evacuating to Zonoma Sekot."

"Skywalker, that was my line!" Mara yelled, thumping him across the head with a nearby sofa cushion.

Luke laughed, blocking her repeated blows. "Well, love, what do you expect when you've been trying to reform me for years? It finally worked." He leaned down and kissed Mara.

"Ok, would you two please stop?" Tahiri's vaguely irritated voice interrupted the two. "You're too much like my parents for this not to be weird." She made a face. "Ok, _really_ weird."

Mara pulled away from her husband, grinning. "And like all parents, we have certain liberties, no matter how much it might embarrass you." She teased.

"Whatever." Tahiri waved her hand in the air. "I'll be home soon, with our without our resident Dr. Duracrete."

"Doctor?" Mara frowned.

Tahiri frowned right back. "Well, can you think of another profession that goes with duracrete?"


	27. Chapter TwentySeven: Making Plans

"N-no."

Kyp watched Jaina shake her head at Jacen's question and had to push back the emotion beating at his shields.

"Ok." Jacen sighed, his disappointment seeping from behind his mask. "Si said to tell you 'hi'."

Jaina nodded, but Kyp could see it was just a perfunctory response.

"When—" her voice had a shake to it that wasn't there before, "are mom and Dad leaving?" evidently, someone had explained to her that Han and Leia didn't normally live here.

"I don't know." Jacen admitted, shrugging. "Dad asked one of the maintenance techs to move the Falcon to the resident hangar yesterday."

"Oh." Jaina nodded, playing with her fingers.

"The medics said you could probably leave in a few days."

Again, Jaina nodded, but seemed dazed.

"Well, I guess I'll go. Keil's probably giving the crèche workers a hard time." Jacen stood up.

"Ok." Jaina nodded, still focusing on her fingers.

As if on impulse, Jacen hugged her at the last second. "I love you, sis."

Jaina's shoulders were stiff, and she simply nodded.

Kyp never thought he would actually feel sympathy for Jacen Solo, but at the moment, he couldn't help being sorry for the younger man.

There was nothing left of Jaina Solo. No laughing, teasing pilot and Jedi with sparkling eyes. No memories of a past, of Han and Leia, of Luke and Mara. No memories of growing up with a twin brother, or of wielding a lightsaber, or of flying in the Rogue Squadron. No memories of Kyp Durron.

Only a frightened, shattered young girl.

"Hey, kiddo." He pushed the door open and sauntered in.

Jaina looked up from wringing her hands and smiled. "Hi."

"What are you doing?"

She shrugged self-consciously. "N-nothing , really. My brother just left."

Kyp made a point of looking over his shoulder incredulously. "Really? The guy who just walked out?"

She nodded.

"Are both of his parents the same as yours?"

Jaina blinked, her eyebrows lowering. "Yes." She said slowly. "Why?"

" 'Cause he's sure not as pretty as you are." Kyp drawled.

He laughed when she blushed.

"Anyone ever tell you you're a flatterer?" she asked slowly, the left side of her face lifting in a small smile.

Kyp grinned. "A couple of times."

The smile faded slowly. "No BlackAngel, and no movie. Why are you here?"

The old Jaina would have filled he lingering silence with a long, drawn out 'so'. The girl sitting in front of him seemed to be avoiding the letter 's' like the Death Seed.

Kyp shrugged. "I don't know. I just like talking, I guess." He shot her a wry grin. "You watched my holos and played my games without screeching, I thought maybe you'd take a stab at being the only one to listen to me."

"Oh." Her voice was quiet.

Kyp waited, sighing inwardly when she started playing with her hands again.

"So, have they told you when you're going to get out?" he sat down in the chair Jacen had been occupying earlier.

She shook her head. "My brother says sometime in the next few days, but I think he may be thinking optimistically. They haven't told me yet."

"Oh. Are you anxious to get out of this place?"

She shrugged. "It's not that bad, really."

"Huh." He made a face. "Every time I've been in here, it's seemed like forever, counting the days to get out." He exaggerated a grimace. "I've had better food in jail."

That coaxed a laugh out of her. "Jail? That sounds like a story to hear. How did having that on your record affect the medics?"

Kyp grinned. "Quite well, actually. I think I probably intimidated them. They didn't boss me around nearly as much the last time as they had the times before."

Jaina laughed again. "How many times have you been here?"

Kyp pretended to have great difficulty counting. "More times than you could imagine, sister."

"Oh come on," Jaina joined in his light banter with a smile, "how could you possibly require medical attention more times than you can count?"

Kyp shook his head. "Huh-uh, Rain. That's my secret."

She smiled. "Oh, really? I could just go ask the medics you know. They happen to do a very good job of keeping records around here."

Kyp wiggled his eyebrows at her. "That's confidential information, and if you somehow managed to bribe on of the techs to let you see it anyway, it's all filled with jargon, so you'd never figure out why I was in here."

"Yeah, well, they must be bribable if you can convince them to let you come in and stay past visiting hours." She shot back.

"Nah." He shook his head matter of factly. "I just give them my smile, and- poof! –they let me in." he grinned.

Jaina stared open mouthed. "Ok, so flattering and arrogant, too." She shook her head slowly, the half-smile reappearing. "Why do I have a feeling this is going to be fun?"

Kyp shrugged. "Dunno, but I ain't arguing." He grinned. "Or complaining."

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"So it turns out the situation may be worse than we first thought." Luke sighed, crossing his arms.

"Good thing Jacen convinced you to check out Eclipse now, huh." Mara raised one eyebrow.

"Yeah, Mar, we all know you like being right." Luke smiled.

"Just don't forget that I always am." Mara fired right back.

"Moving on…" Kam cleared his throat. "We should probably increase security until we have Eclipse ready for habitation."

Mara snorted. "From Tahiri's story, it might be years before we've got that place up and running."

Luke rubbed his forehead intensely. "Force, I hope not."

"How many modulators do we need again?" Kam asked.

"Eight." Luke grimaced. "Ion-motivated ones, at that."

Kam whistled lowly. "Those aren't that easy to find anymore either."

"Exactly." Luke nodded. "However, thanks to our faithful outlaws," he hid a smile, "we will be receiving exactly eight of such within the next standard month."

Kam frowned. "I dislike dealing with criminals, however petty and even loyal."

"Yeah, well," Mara's face clearly said she did not approve of anyone questioning Karrde's reputation, "without help from these 'criminals' we wouldn't even be here to discuss atmospheric moderator/modulators."

"True," Luke broke in smoothly to prevent a heated argument, "and GAI released a statement yesterday saying they would be investigating any and all special orders. It would definitely raise questions if we put out an order for numerous ion-powered modulators."

"Questions we do not have time to answer." Mara added.

"All of which is true." Kam nodded.

"Anyway, once we get the new controls installed, we need to have a planned evacuation method in place."

"Instead of just all jettisoning out of here in the Errant Venture like last time?" Kam asked dryly.

"Exactly." Luke nodded. "Booster and I don't really…. Um… get along? Asking him for favors grates like nothing else."

"Nice to know how you feel about my father."

The three Masters turned to see Mirax Horn enter the room, a sardonic smile on her face.

"Yeah. Hey, Mirax. Where's Corran?"

"At Security, trying to convince one of Taan's little 'creatures'" she grimaced, "that he's not a dangerous infiltrator." She stopped in front of the closed trio and crossed her arms. "I'm not sure if I should be irritated with the girls for programming those nosy little monsters, or thankful that they're so thorough."

"Well, I know what I am." Mara declared loudly, rubbing her back. "Irritated. One of those things chased me halfway down the hall to the med center today."

"That would be the one we found shot to pieces." Jacen exclaimed, entering the room. "You had Taan in knots examining the thing for signs of Yuuzhan Vong evidence."

"No comment." Mara only replied cryptically.

"Jacen." Luke nodded at his nephew. "What brings you here?"

Jacen held up a flimsiplast printout. " Transmission from GAI."

"Really?"

Jacen nodded, eyeing the flimsiplast sheet in his hand. "Sent this to us this morning. More intell. info."

" You mean GAI is actually on top of something for once?" Mara was sarcastic.

Her comment failed to produce any smiles.

"Actually, from the tone of the entire note, I have a suspicion that this was more of Iella's project than GAI as a whole." Jacen suggested. "The Alliance has never been particularly friendly to the Jedi."

Luke nodded. "It's not likely they would feel so inclined as to pass on privy information to a group they barely tolerate."

Jacen was tapping his thumbs on his chin- either in thought, or anxiety. "Either that, or they're a fair amount more worried about the Yuuzhan Vong than they've admitted, and we're their best choice at a successful scapegoat."

Luke stared at him. "Thank you for your pure cynicism."

"Realism." Mara and Jacen answered in unison.

"You're right about one thing, though." It was Kam's turn at peacemaker. "This note does resemble Agent Antilles' style more than GAI's info center."

"It does." Luke nodded. "Which means we can probably take it in full confidence."

"When is Eclipse scheduled to be done?" Mirax wanted to know.

"Karrde hasn't said yet." Mara shook her head. "But it'll be at least a standard week."

"Maybe we should contact my father just as a precaution. Make sure he's in the area in case of emergencies."

Luke nodded. "I think you're probably right. I'll send Booster a fruit basket if it helps."

Mirax laughed. "I don't think that will be necessary. His grandchildren are here. He'll come."

"No matter what anyone says, Booster Terrik is a softy." Mara said dryly.

"Just don't let him hear you say that."


End file.
